Angry migrants protest fire in Mexico, at least 28 Guatemalans dead

Record ID: 1717503

  • Title: Angry migrants protest fire in Mexico, at least 28 Guatemalans dead
  • Date: 28th March 2023
  • Summary: CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO (MARCH 28, 2023) (REUTERS) MIGRANTS GATHERING OUTSIDE MIGRATION DETENTION CENTRE WHERE FIRE TOOK PLACE VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SHOUTING SLOGANS, WAVING VENEZUELAN FLAG MIGRANTS SHOUTING (Spanish): “Justice” SECURITY AGENTS GUARDING STATION VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS PROTESTING OUTSIDE CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA, DANIELA MARQUEZ, SAYING: “(We demand justice for) those who were inside (the migration centre). They had been there inside for a month. They cried out of hunger because they (officials) didn’t give them food. It’s not fair, honestly. They (victims) have families. Their mothers are in Venezuela. How is that possible that their mothers have to cry for them that far away? It’s not fair, honestly. I don’t have words to express what I feel, honestly.” VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS PROTESTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA, ELERITH MEDINA, SAYING: “We don’t exactly know the number of dead people. Migration (authorities) haven't given us any kind of response. They don’t say where they took the bodies, they don’t say how many people died, how many were injured. We don’t know absolutely anything about our friends and relatives. Nothing.” VARIUS OF PRO MIGRANT ACTIVISTS LIGHTING CANDLES IN MAKESHIFT VIGIL OUTSIDE CENTRE VARIOUS OF ACTIVISTS STICKING BLACK FLOWER BOUQUET ON FENCE ACTIVISTS LIGHTING CANDLES IN MAKESHIFT VIGIL OUTSIDE CENTRE
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2023 23:49
  • Keywords: Fire Guatemala Immigrants Mexico Migration Protest
  • Location: CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO & GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • City: CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO & GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires,South America / Central America,North America
  • Reuters ID: LVA001106928032023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Migrants and activists demanded justice on Tuesday (March 28) for the at least 40 migrants killed in a blaze in a migrant detention center in the Mexican northern border city of Ciudad Juarez.
    Enraged migrants and pro-migration activists gathered outside the migration station in Ciudad Juarez where migrants from Central and South America died after a fire broke out late on Monday (March 27) apparently caused by a protest over deportations, officials said Tuesday.
    “They had been there inside for a month. They cried out of hunger because they (officials) didn’t give them food. It’s not fair,” said a migrant from Venezuela, Daniela Marquez, who attended the protest.
    At least 28 of the fatal victims were from Guatemala, the Central American country’s Foreign Minister, Mario Bucaro, said on Tuesday.
    Another 13 were Hondurans, according to the country's deputy foreign minister.
    In addition to the 40 who died, 28 others were hospitalized after being injured in the blaze, Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) said. All were adult men, officials said.
    Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said authorities believed the blaze in the city opposite El Paso, Texas, broke out at 9:30 p.m. local time as some migrants set fire to mattresses in protest after discovering they would be deported.
    He did not provide more details about how so many had died in the incident.
    The fire, one of the deadliest to hit the country in years, occurred as the United States and Mexico are battling to cope with record levels of border crossing.
    (Production: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Rodolfo Pena Roja, Anna Portella)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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