Mexican president calls for Latin American summit on migration

MEXICO CITY

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday that he plans to host a summit of foreign ministers of Latin American countries to discuss migration.

At his morning briefing, Lopez Obrador highlighted the need for unity and cooperation within Latin America to address the matter.

"It is not just a Mexican issue," he said, noting that the flow of migrants through Mexico has grown dramatically, specifically from Central and South America.

"We are going to have a meeting. We are inviting the sister governments of these countries. We are inviting them to a meeting in Mexico of foreign ministers to review the migration situation. They understand that almost all of them pass through Mexico and that we have to take care of them, the migrants, and protect them. But we have to avoid a (further) increase in migration flows because the risks are greater," he added.

While Lopez Obrador did not provide further details on how or when the proposed summit would take place, he said the meeting would address the root causes of migration.

"We must unite, analyze the causes, how to help so that people are not forced to leave their towns," he said.

Before assuming office in December 2018, Lopez Obrador had pledged to Latin American migrants and asylum seekers that his administration would work toward relieving the economic conditions that push people out of their homelands through social programs and international investments.

An agrarian work program was implemented in some countries in Central America with the idea of reducing migration.

In May last year, Lopez Obrador signed agreements with El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Cuba and Belize to enact his program.

However, journalistic investigations have cast doubt over the efficiency of Lopez Obrador's program, which provides assistance and economic support to farmers in the region. One year after its implementation, researchers have found that the money destined for the program is not enough for the region's needs. Corruption and opacity were also reported, with the funds destined for the program lost in bureaucratic procedures.

Despite the implementation of social programs, Lopez Obrador’s government continues to register an increase in migration movement within Mexican territory, with most migrants heading to the US border.