Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
This Monday, migrants in Tapachula on the border of Mexico with Guatemala reported a wave of mass kidnappings by organized crime. Criminals are placing stamps on their arms and demanding money for their release.
Miguel Mejía, a migrant from Honduras, shared that he and a group of people from Central America, Peru, Ecuador, and other countries were kidnapped in Tapachula recently. Criminal groups are now monitoring migrants on motorcycles and in vans with long weapons, intimidating and taking them to unknown places where they are held captive.
The victims each paid about 1,500 Mexican pesos (approximately $90) and had stamps placed on them. Videos were taken after payment for identification purposes. The situation comes after a 77% increase in irregular migration in 2023, with more than 782,000 migrants detected by the Mexican government.
Luis Rey García from the Center for Human Dignification stated that hundreds of migrants are kidnapped and extorted on the southern border every month, although official statistics do not include them. Roberto González from Guatemala described being kidnapped for 24 hours by heavily armed captors, and Ecuadorian Julia recounted being held captive and asked for a sum of 1,100 pesos per person.
The increase in kidnappings highlights the challenges migrants face as they navigate through corrupt authorities and criminal organizations. The stories of these victims shed light on the dangers and struggles migrants encounter on their journey.
