GUATEMALA CITY.- The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, announced this Tuesday, during a conference in Guatemala, that the United States will impose sanctions on those who facilitate “irregular migration.”
This measure is part of the efforts to address the migration crisis that affects the region, being one of the crucial issues on the US political agenda in times of electoral campaign and when the current occupant of the White House, Democrat Joe Biden, seeks presidential re-election.
The conference, chaired by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, brought together representatives from twenty American countries to seek concerted solutions to the complex migration problem on the continent. In this context, Blinken highlighted the importance of strengthening the human management of migration and adopting measures to “combat” irregular migration.
“We are redoubling our efforts to protect migrant workers from exploitation,” added the US Secretary of State.
For her part, the Chilean vice chancellor, Gloria de la Fuente, maintained that migration is a multilateral challenge and, therefore, countries must find joint solutions.
“We hope that we can agree on a roadmap for the implementation of the Los Angeles Declaration, highlighting the already existing processes,” added De la Fuente.
Millions enter
The measure announced by Blinken comes at a time when the US president Joe Biden faces growing electoral pressure due to the migration crisis. Since he took office, approximately 10 million undocumented migrants have been detained at the border, generating tensions both politically and socially in the United States.
In addition, the situation in the region is complicated by migration through the dangerous territory of Darién, on the border between Colombia and Panama, where criminal gangs operate, assaulting, raping and killing migrants. There is also an increase in charter flights from Nicaragua, which has become an air bridge for Asian and African migrants seeking to reach Central America and avoid Darien.
The immigration policy of the Biden government has been the subject of criticism from Republicans and sectors of his own party, who accuse him of inaction on the problem. In this context, Biden is expected to seek to implement stronger measures to address the immigration chaos and ensure his re-election in the next elections.
The recent demonstration in Boston, Massachusetts, where hundreds of people demanded the closure of the border and a change in Biden’s immigration policies, reflects the growing concern among the American population. This internal pressure, along with demands for an effective response from Latin American countries, underscores the urgency of finding concrete and collaborative solutions to address the migration crisis in the region.
Source: With information from AFP
