Guatemalan Bishops decry violation of human rights in migrant centres

By Linda Bordoni

Reacting to comments issued by Mexican authorities who have pledged to deliver justice for the men killed in a fire at a migrant holding centre in Ciudad Juarez this week, the Catholic Bishops of Guatemala cried out: “Enough with the euphemisms (…). Immigration stations are not shelters but detention centres where the human rights of people in forced mobility are violated.”

The fire in Ciudad Juarez

At least 39 migrants from Guatemala and other Central American countries were killed and 28 others were injured on Monday when they were unable to exit the blazing centre where their requests for asylum in the US were being processed.

Upon hearing of the tragedy, Pope Francis immediately asked for prayers for the dead migrants and their families.

In their statement sent to Fides News Agency on Thursday, 30 March, the bishops of the Pastoral Care of Human Mobility Section of the Episcopal Conference, expressed solidarity and indignation for the incident.

Solidarity and indignation

 "As we have said more than once, 'Guatemala has the primary obligation to fulfil and enforce the rights of male and female citizens to remain in their country in dignified conditions and in accordance with their rights,” the bishops said.

“Failing to comply with this responsibility,” they added, “Guatemala, and especially the officials on duty, are co-responsible for the events that occurred in the fire at the immigration station in Mexico". 

They expressed condolences and solidarity "to the families of all the victims of the tragic fire,” and invoked the comfort of God for the families of the victims, but they also forcefully condemned what they described as “the abandonment and inaction of the states involved, of origin, transit and destination.” (Source Fides)

A pair of shoes on the banks of the Rio Bravo river near the Mexican border with the US