Authorities in Guatemala claim to have stopped the first migrant caravan of 2022. The efforts to contain the group led to a violent clash with dozens of detentions and 15 law enforcement officials sustaining a variety of injuries.
The clash took place at the El Corinto border area between Guatemala and Honduras, a government spokesman said during a streamed news conference.
#EnDirecto | Conferencia de prensa con autoridades del Ministerio de Gobernación. https://t.co/ieqJYAL2qn
— Gobierno Guatemala (@GuatemalaGob) January 16, 2022
In preparation for the caravan, over the weekend Guatemala’s government had sent military and federal police forces to assist immigration officials to set up a series of security perimeters along the expected path of the group, officials said in a prepared statement.
PNC y Ejército de Guatemala contienen a extranjeros que pretenden ingresar al país sin llenar los requisitos migratorios y de bioseguridad.
Se reporta pedrea que ha lesionado a dos policías y un soldado, esto ocurre en el kilómetro 303 jurisdicción de Puerto Barrios, Izabal pic.twitter.com/LSpIRmJcXd
— PNC de Guatemala (@PNCdeGuatemala) January 16, 2022
The response came after the first caravan of 2022 set out from San Pedro Sula in Honduras with the intent of making their way to the United States. The caravan is believed to be made up of approximately 800 migrants. The group that tried to force their way into Guatemala is believed to be made up of only about 300.
When the group reached the Guatemalan border, government officials tried to talk to the migrants about entering the country in a legal manner, but according to Edwin Ardiano Lopez, the Adjunct General Director of the National Police, the talks fell through and the migrants tried to enter by force.
PNC y Ejército de Guatemala contienen a extranjeros que pretenden ingresar al país sin llenar los requisitos migratorios y de bioseguridad.
Se reporta pedrea que ha lesionado a dos policías y un soldado, esto ocurre en el kilómetro 303 jurisdicción de Puerto Barrios, Izabal pic.twitter.com/LSpIRmJcXd
— PNC de Guatemala (@PNCdeGuatemala) January 16, 2022
“The general objective was to bring security and protection to the migrants who were entering Guatemala through the border without discrimination,” Ardiano said. “At 19:22, along kilometer 302 and incident started where the migrants assaulted the security forces, there are 15 injured, seven are agents of the National Police and eight are members of the Army.”
According to Guatemalan officials, after the clashes, they detained and deported 86 migrants. It remains unclear if the caravan will continue trying to cross into Guatemala in their attempt to reach the United States.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.