Guatemala City, Guatemala – Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo announced on Monday that his administration has significantly reinforced border surveillance in response to the recent influx of hundreds of Mexican nationals fleeing escalating violence in the state of Chiapas. The violence, attributed to ongoing conflicts between powerful drug trafficking groups, has forced many Mexicans to seek refuge across the border in Guatemala.
Since July 23, hundreds of residents from Chiapas, a Mexican state bordering Guatemala, have crossed into Guatemalan territory, leaving behind their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. The Guatemalan government has responded by granting humanitarian permits to 207 of these individuals, allowing them to remain in the country for 30 days while they receive assistance.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Defense and the National Civil Police to prevent violence from spilling over into Guatemalan territory,” President Arévalo stated during a press briefing. The president was speaking from the department of San Marcos, a region that directly borders Mexico and has been on high alert due to the recent developments. “This reinforcement is crucial to ensuring the security of Guatemalans and preventing the problems occurring on the other side of the border from affecting our country,” he added.
The violence in Chiapas is largely a result of fierce territorial battles between two of Mexico’s most notorious drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). According to Insight Crime, these groups are vying for control of strategic border towns that are essential for the trafficking of drugs, arms, and migrants through Mexico, en route to the United States. The clashes have resulted in widespread fear and displacement among local populations.
The 207 Mexicans who have been granted temporary humanitarian residence permits in Guatemala are currently residing in the municipality of Cuilco, where they are receiving aid from local authorities and humanitarian organizations. President Arévalo emphasized the government’s commitment to providing support to those fleeing violence. “In the case of the communities that arrived in Cuilco, we have mobilized an entire inter-institutional structure to welcome our Mexican brothers and sisters who are escaping violence,” Arévalo said.
The situation has prompted an unprecedented level of coordination between the governments of Mexico and Guatemala. President Arévalo confirmed that both nations are actively working together to “provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to refugees and facilitate, for those who wish, the conditions for their safe return” to Mexico.
In a further effort to address the security concerns at the border, the two countries agreed on August 3 to conduct joint security operations and maintain open lines of communication. A meeting of the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group, led by the Interior Ministers of both countries, is scheduled for the end of August. This meeting is expected to focus on strategies to enhance border security and provide additional support for those affected by the ongoing violence.
