Choluteca, Honduras.
The authorities in Honduras reported on Wednesday the detention of 18 Cuban immigrants, including two minors, who allegedly intended to travel from the Central American country to US illegal.
The arrest was recorded on Tuesday near the station El Guasaule, the department Choluteca, the border between Honduras and Nicaragua, after a routine police check, the Honduran National Police said in a press release.
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He added that all were requested because they entered Honduran territory in an “irregular manner”, which is why they are detained in an office of the National Institute for Migration in Choluteca, where the authorities will decide whether to grant them a permit. crossing the national territory or returning them.in the country of origin.
The Caribbean – nine women, seven men and two minors – were detained by border, prevention and special forces agencies as they walked through the 7 de Mayo neighborhood of El Triunfo, near Guasaule, he said.
Honduran police have stepped up “control and surveillance operations” on the Nicaraguan border in recent days to prevent illegal entry of foreigners into the country and to prevent contagion from the covid-19 pandemic.
In recent decades, the Central American country has become a transit point for migrants, especially Cubans and Africans, who cross Central American countries to reach the United States, whose authorities have strengthened security in recent years on the border with Mexico.
Honduras signed an agreement with the United States in September 2019 aimed at stopping irregular migration from Central American countries.
Under a cooperation agreement released in May last year by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the governments of Honduras and the United States have agreed to send asylum seekers to the Central American country to US authorities.
The document joins the two similar asylum cooperation agreements concluded with Guatemala on July 26, 2019, and El Salvador, on September 20 last year, respectively.
UNHCR WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE ASYLUM SYSTEM
The National Institute for Migration (INM) in Honduras and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed a partnership agreement the day before to strengthen the country’s “Strengthening the Asylum System” project.
The agreement was signed by INM director Carolina Menjívar and UNHCR representative in Honduras Andrés Celis.
The agreement will allow NMI to promote the participation of local governments, state and private entities that strengthen the asylum system.
“This agreement strengthens us to provide a better response to asylum seekers. We can make things better, work and make a difference,” Menjívar said.
The official thanked UNHCR for its support and commitment and assured that Honduras has “an important task”, but together with the UN refugee agency “we will do it”.
The UNHCR representative stressed the importance of the agreement, because “the world is still moving even with the pandemic, it is a complicated fact between opening the door or keeping the house safe and here we found the will, the commitment of the Honduran authorities and the INM”.