Tegucigalpa, Honduras
The United States has a “shared future” with Central America, countries where Washington is trying to fight “endemic” corruption through a Task Force and promote the region’s prosperity to tackle irregular migration, two US officials said Friday.
“We have a shared future with Central America and what’s good for Central America is good for the United States,” newly appointed Northern Triangle Special Envoy Ricardo Zúñiga said in a telephone press conference, accompanied by the Chief Adviser from President Joe. Biden for Latin America, Juan González.
He also pointed out that in the northern triangle of Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) there is a “critical situation affecting the United States”.
The US government is seeking to take action to eliminate the continued arrival of hundreds of immigrants at the US border, which affects “so many people and interests” in the countries, he added.
The US border “has been closed,” and the Biden administration will comply with the laws to ensure that only authorized persons can enter the country, he stressed.
IMPROVE SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE
To irregular migrationAccording to Zúñiga, it is necessary to create conditions to improve security and governance in Central American countries, to create jobs and opportunities for their citizens.
“We have a cooperation strategy with our partners, not only Mexico, but also Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, to combat these dangerous journeys and try to improve conditions in the area, ”he stressed.
The United States must create “the capacity” to serve thousands of immigrants at its border, which was “broken and dismantled” by the Donald Trump administration to create problems in the asylum system, he stressed.
The Special Envoy to Central America affirmed that governance and efforts to fight corruption in the region will be “central” to promoting the dignity, security and prosperity of Central Americans in their country.
CORRUPTION, AN ENDEMIC FLAG
Corruption is an “endemic” scourge in Central America and one of the causes of irregular migration, especially in countries where there are no economic opportunities, González said.
The United States is promoting the Anti-Corruption Task Force following the departure of the Mission to Support Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (Maccih) and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (Cicig), he added.
President Biden’s chief counsel for Latin America assured that part of the solution to the migration flow is to create alternatives in the countries to prevent citizens from “fleeing their homes and making the dangerous journey to the US border.”
The United States must also create “legal avenues” to serve people who make credible asylum applications and who can apply from their countries of origin, he explained.
The migration flow of drugs and weapons “goes through the entry points, the walls don’t work,” said González, who indicated that the Biden government has designed a vision aimed at applying the laws of the United States, but “with dignity. to treat”. “to counteract immigrants and the causes of irregular migration.
“At the moment we don’t have a frontier that individuals can handle because the previous government has dismantled our capacity to do that,” he added.
He urged immigrants “not to come, the border is not open, we are trying to respond very quickly and forcefully to the humanitarian situation in countries affected by last year’s hurricanes and jointly develop strategies to create opportunities. and insecurity “.
González said the US government has a “high-quality and highly targeted” approach to irregular migration at the southern border.
He noted that Biden recognizes that tackling irregular migration means fighting insecurity, poverty and inequality in the countries of Central America’s Northern Triangle.
Both US officials’ visit to Mexico this week, along with White House Southern Border Coordinator Roberta Jacobson, focused on “regular and active cooperation and communication” with Mexican authorities on how to deal with migration. -challenges. .
In addition, about how both countries can “work more closely” together to promote the development of Southern Mexico and Central America. EFE