Chancellor will ask the US that the deportation of Guatemalans be done with logistics to avoid “overflow”

That there be order in the deportations of Guatemalans is one of the main requests that Foreign Minister Carlos Martínez will make to the Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, with whom he will meet next week, as part of a diplomatic tour that he is making. the US official in Central America.

According to Martínez, issues on border, port, air security and combating drug trafficking will be discussed, although he noted that the immigration problem is a priority at this time and they will take advantage of communicating to the Secretary of State the concern over the deportation of compatriots.

“It is time not only to listen to their interests and demands, but to convey to them the need to maintain, even if the volume of returnees grows, a certain order and planning,” he highlighted.

He added: “Today I was speaking with our ambassador in Washington and it is the message that we are conveying to them, trying to maintain that order. In practice there may be, but our search is that, we are willing to collaborate. There is logistics in the reception centers, there are State entities, United Nations organizations, there are resources for all of this, what we want to avoid is an overflow,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said he is aware that flights with deportees will increase in the coming weeks and it is necessary to be close to consular officials and the Guatemalan community in the United States.

“We know how many flights are coming, we know that there are flights with unaccompanied minors, with family units, we know everything, but if that changes it is a lack of control and there would be a lack of capacity to receive the returnees. What we do not want is for it to be an unmanageable situation,” he added.

This January 23rd, Free press published a statement by former vice chancellor Anamaría Diéguez and former chancellor Alfonso Cabrera, in which they noted that currently “no country is prepared” to face an increase in the number of deportees. In this context, Foreign Minister Martínez stated that “it is not intended to be an excuse, it is simply a reality and part of an explanation.”

Visit

As confirmed by the new spokesperson for the State Department, Tammy Bruce, Secretary Rubio will travel to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

Rubio, who speaks perfect Spanish and is the son of Cuban immigrants, became the first Hispanic Secretary of State in the history of the United States last Tuesday.

Authorities from Mexico and Honduras have coordinated a meeting between ambassadors to address the immigration issue. In that sense, Ramírez said that a week ago there was a meeting of vice ministers of Foreign Affairs from several countries to address the issue, and on Thursday, January 23, in the morning, he also spoke with the president of Mexico to try to coordinate the actions being taken. can undertake to confront the increase in deportations.

Program

During his results report, President Bernardo Arévalo announced that the Return to Home program will be implemented to serve deported Guatemalans.

As part of the actions, the chancellor stated that the program has three components, two that already work and need improvements: the first has to do with consular care and protection.

The second seeks to expand the care facilities located in Tecún Umán, San Marcos, for those who enter by land, and in the Guatemalan Air Force in zone 13 for those who enter by air.

The third, according to the chancellor, is the main challenge of the program, since the aim is for the migrant to enter the workplace through training. For this, there will be support from the ministries of Education, Health, Labor, Foreign Affairs and Economy, as well as the private sector and other entities such as Intecap and international organizations, although the official said he did not know how many funds will be invested.

Martínez emphasized that they are on alert with the consular network, particularly on the border with the United States.

“Last night there were already movements in some reception centers, centers where migrants were under the protection of immigration authorities, transfers to Mexico have already begun,” he said.