Mexico to Impede Migrant Crossings in Dangerous Areas

 
In a statement that closely echoes US border rhetoric, Mexicali's newspaper La Crónica reported that Enrique Berruga of the Mexican Secretary of Exterior Relations (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores) stated that Mexico wants orderly and legal migration between the US and Mexico.

The newspaper also stated that for the first time in history Mexico would impede potential migrants from trying to cross to the US through dangerous areas. Berruga also added that the position of the Mexican government is to defend the life of its citizens and that the way to do this is by "impeding them from crossing in highly dangerous areas."

Another means by which Mexico hopes to save lives is by installing emergency telephones in the Altar and Arizona deserts, according to Berruga. No details were given for this plan.

In a separate La Crónica article, Baja California Governor Alejandro González Alcocer was reported as having said that he will soon declare two high-risk crossing areas in the state. The regions are the Mesa de Andrade and La Rumorosa, both near Mexicali. Both areas will be monitored by an unspecified group or groups that will try to keep potential migrants out of the area.

So far this year, between January 1 and Wednesday, June 27, 158 Mexicans died trying to reach the US.

(From: Frontera NorteSur, http://frontera.nmsu.edu).