International
Migrants at the border suffer post-traumatic stress after the violence in Mexico
Citizen associations warn of an increase in post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) in migrants stranded on the northern border of Mexico in the face of cases of kidnapping, abuse and exploitation they experience when crossing Mexican territory.
Migrants present this psychological disorder that arises in response to extremely stressful events, and is characterized by symptoms such as retrospective sequences or flashbacks, nightmares, intense anxiety and difficulties in sleeping or concentrating.
The biggest trigger is kidnappings, Sara Villegas Torres, a lawyer for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Ciudad Juárez, one of the epicenters of migration on the border of Mexico with the United States, told EFE.
“What we have mostly detected is the issue of kidnappings, not only here in the entity (Chihuahua) but throughout Mexico, it is inevitable to encounter these stories because it is something that happens to most of the people with whom we have contact,” he described.
In July alone, there were two massive kidnappings of a total of 36 migrants in Chihuahua, according to the organization Alto al Secuestro, which documented a total of 196 foreigners kidnapped in the seventh month of the year, a monthly increase of more than 20%.
This organization reported 772 kidnappings of migrants in 2023, representing about a third of the total national victims of this crime.
This leaves sequelae in people like Cindy Vázquez, from Honduras, who told EFE how a crime cartel kidnapped the group with which she was traveling in Mexico.
“They told us ‘drem down’. But we thought it was the Police or Migration, because we had no problems with migration. But when they got us down and got us up, I lost all my belongings, I lost everything because I didn’t have time to take anything out of the lower part of the bus. And when they got us into a car, even then I knew we were kidnapped,” he said.
They were transferred to a warehouse, 15 minutes away before reaching the state of Chihuahua, where there were also many people kidnapped, according to him, and his family had to give a rescue.
“They told us that we were deprived of our freedom and that we were going to be there as long as our family paid a ransom. Our family had to pay a lot of money,” he said.
He mentioned that the kidnappers were wearing a uniform, brown pants and a navy blue shirt with a shotgun on the back, but without official logos.
In the end they were able to leave with a payment of 10,000 dollars for her and her family, so she warned her compatriots that it is very dangerous to go through Mexico.
“We just wanted to get to a better place, that we could work, that we could start from scratch, but no, the truth is that I wouldn’t stay living in Mexico,” Cindy said.
Another case is that of Roxana Yamilet Velázquez, originally from El Salvador, who described the difficult road she and two other relatives, her cousins Diego José and Adriana Elizabeth, who died in the desert of the northern border of Mexico.
“It gave him like a heat respiratory arrest and from there we were transferred, well, Migration grabbed them and took us to a hospital because we were dehydrated,” he said.
He said that the sand was very hot to the point of burning his skin, and the water they carried in bottles boiled after a short time due to temperatures that reached 40 degrees.
“It was boiling, already very hot, we couldn’t drink or anything and my cousin started fighting about halfway. Even me too, and she couldn’t resist, because she was the one who fought the most,” Roxana recalled about how her cousin’s life was going.
These events occur in the midst of a 193% year-on-year increase in irregular migration through Mexico in the first half of the year to over 712,000 people, according to the Government’s Migration Policy Unit.
International
Venezuela mobilizes forces nationwide as tensions with U.S. rise
Venezuela’s armed forces launched a “massive” nationwide deployment on Tuesday in response to what the government calls “imperialist threats” from the United States, which continues its anti-drug military operation in the region and is preparing for the arrival of its most advanced aircraft carrier.
Since late August, U.S. forces have maintained a growing presence in the Caribbean to combat alleged drug trafficking originating from Colombia and Venezuela. The operation has resulted in the bombing of 20 vessels in international waters in the Caribbean and Pacific, leaving 76 people dead.
Venezuelan authorities claim the U.S. mission is aimed at toppling President Nicolás Maduro. While insisting he seeks peace, Maduro has repeatedly warned the country is prepared to defend itself and has frequently showcased military activities.
A statement from Venezuela’s Defense Ministry said the deployment includes land, air, naval, river and missile systems; armed forces units; the Bolivarian militia; and additional police, military and civilian defense structures.
State broadcaster VTV aired speeches from military leaders in various states, along with images of troops mobilizing and equipment being positioned.
However, analysts note that these frequent and highly publicized announcements do not always lead to visible operations on the ground.
On Monday, Maduro cautioned that Venezuela has the “strength and power” to respond to any aggression, including mobilizing civilians. “If imperialism were to strike and do harm, from the moment the order is given, the entire Venezuelan people would mobilize and fight,” he warned.
International
Jara: “Real toughness” means targeting drug money in Chile’s crime fight
Left-wing presidential candidate Jeannette Jara said during Chile’s final debate on Monday that the “real tough approach” to crime is to go after the financial networks behind drug trafficking and organized crime.
Rising crime, often linked in public discourse to a surge in irregular migration, has become the top concern among Chileans and has dominated the election campaign.
Although Chile’s homicide rate has nearly tripled over the past decade — from 2.5 to 6.7 per 100,000 inhabitants — the country remains one of the safest in Latin America, according to the United Nations.
“I want to call on the right-wing candidates to join us in targeting those who control the money behind drug trafficking and organized crime. That is real tough action,” Jara, who is favored to win Sunday’s first-round vote, declared during the debate.
All eight candidates faced off on Monday night in the final televised confrontation before the election.
Polls — unavailable since they were suspended on November 2 — indicate that far-right candidate José Antonio Kast is likely to finish second behind Jara, but would hold the advantage in a potential December 14 runoff.
Kast is expected to consolidate support from three other right-wing contenders: Evelyn Matthei, Johannes Kaiser and Franco Parisi.
International
Investigation widens after Michoacán mayor’s killer shot post-arrest
Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said Tuesday that the investigation into the killing of a popular mayor from the western state of Michoacán now also includes his security detail. The announcement comes after the governor said the alleged attacker — a 17-year-old — was shot dead after having already been detained.
“The municipal police officers who formed the mayor’s first security ring will give new statements,” García Harfuch said during the president’s daily morning press briefing, noting that includes the officer who admitted firing at the assailant.
He added that authorities are examining both the weapon that killed the attacker and the one that fatally shot the mayor. He did not clarify whether the 14 National Guard members assigned to the mayor’s protection are also under investigation.
Carlos Manzo, mayor of the city of Uruapan, about 400 kilometers west of Mexico City, was gunned down the night of November 1 while surrounded by dozens of people taking part in Day of the Dead festivities.
Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla said Monday that investigators are trying to determine why lethal force was used on the attacker and whether it was excessive. “The killer was detained and moments later there was a struggle and a single shot that killed the assailant,” he said.
Authorities are also reviewing “what happened that led to a lapse or weakening in the mayor’s security cordon,” the governor added, noting that the eight municipal bodyguards were personally chosen by Manzo.
Venezuela mobilizes forces nationwide as tensions with U.S. rise
Jara: “Real toughness” means targeting drug money in Chile’s crime fight
Investigation widens after Michoacán mayor’s killer shot post-arrest
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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