Mexican president calls for investigation of deadly migrant shooting
Al JazeeraSEP 29 2024
This kind of tragedy is a direct consequence of Mexico's decision to militarize migration enforcement in its southern border with Guatemala — and one that was waiting to happen given the country's record of human rights abuses. Crackdowns can only aggravate risks for already vulnerable people who are migrating to survive.
This is indeed a tragic incident — and Mexican authorities have already launched an investigation into the shooting. However, this isolated event doesn't mean that deploying soldiers to the southern border was a mistake. Violence has ramped up in the area as cartels expand their presence and vie for territorial control, and Mexico's authorities must act to curb criminal activity.