Although in Guatemala they have not registered deceased or the poster has crossed the borders, The criminal group that calls itself Chiapas-Guatemala poster has generated fear in the border line with Mexico. The most affected are merchants and migrants, who, in addition to paying illegal charges, are victims of robberies.
The Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center denounced this week that Violence and ungovernability have increased at the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
According to investigators of the National Civil Police (PNC), in the Guatemalan border area they have not been reported deaths by violent events related to these conflicts, due to the presence of the army and police forces. However, they claim that Merchants must pay strong sums of money to buy merchandise in Mexico and return to Guatemala.
To all who transfer merchandise, they are charged a right of passage, that goes from the Q1 thousand, and they give them a ticket as a proof so that they can enter Mexico and return to Guatemala, A police officer said.
The problem, according to merchants, is that they can no longer enter to buy merchandise freely because, even if they pay, They are stolen from the vehicle if they are recent model or take off their merchandise.
Another problem that affects Mexican territory, according to agents, is the conflict between drug cartels for the migrants dispute, which has caused dead and injured in that country.
Lack of security
According to the director of the National Civil Police (PNC), David Custodio Boto, The problem occurs mainly in the border area near San Marcos and Huehuetenango, Although it is due to the fact that in Mexican territory there is no security presence, while on the Guatemalan border the border task force operates, just created by agreements with the United States.
“We do know that merchants take away the vehicles, assault them, they steal their money or charge them a tax for crossing the other side; In addition, depending on the merchandise they transport, they demand more money, “ confirmed.
“If the vehicle they carry like, they are forced to leave it and immediately make the owner firm the documents. The most affected are those who reside in Mexico, but if we had no military presence at the borders of Guatemala, we would be in the same situation,” he added.
Before the panorama that is lived on the border with Mexico, following the operations of the posters, the migrants who seek to reach the United States fear crossing and remain in Guatemalan territory.
“The problem is that the border areas of San Marcos and Huehuetenango will be filled with people from South America and other countries, because there they are going to stay,” said Botry.
Shelter
Cuilco, Huehuetenango, It has become the receiving municipality of hundreds of Mexicans who fled their communities for conflicts between drug trafficking posters. Entire families have left everything to survive and dream of being able to return home.
As those affected at the time, The drug posters arrived in the communities to recruit men, while women were forced to prepare food for members of the armed organization.
Custodio Boto said that, following the presence of the Army and the National Civil Police (PNC), it has not been reported that more families in that community have fled to Guatemalan territory.
Last February, Mexican families took refuge in the La Unión Frontera communities, Monterrico La Frontera and New Reform, in Cuilco, Huehuetenango, border with Mexico, returned to their country.
The Chiapas border area has registered a resurgence of violence caused by clashes between the posters of Jalisco Nueva Generación and Sinaloa, the two largest criminal bands in Mexico.
Regarding the name of the criminal structure that defins Chiapas-Guatemala Cartel, the police chief indicated that Among its members there are ex -kaibiles and that constantly seek to recruit more elements with military trainingso he compared it to the group known as Los Zetas.
Los Zetas was a criminal organization that tried to enter Guatemalan territory during the government of President Álvaro Colom.