The Mexican railway company has announced the suspension of freight operations on multiple rail lines connecting to border cities like Ciudad JuƔrez. This decision comes in response to a significant increase in the number of migrants attempting to board the trains bound for the United States.
The surge in U.S.-bound migrants utilizing freight trains has prompted safety concerns and logistical challenges for Ferromex. The suspension is aimed at addressing these issues and ensuring the safety of both migrants and railway operations.
“Ferromex will temporarily suspend operations on the affected routes to protect the migrantsā physical integrity,” Ferromex said. The company said it has notified customers of the impact on services affecting production chains, supplies, and trade. The capacity of the freight trains suspended is equivalent to 1,800 cargo trucks, it said.
Thousands of migrants have been boarding cargo trains in their attempts to reach border communities, including Piedras Negras, which faces Eagle Pass, Texas. Ferromex, the railway company, reported approximately 1,500 migrants on trains and within trainyards in TorreĆ³n, located in northern Coahuila state; 800 in QuerĆ©taro in central Mexico; 1,000 in Aguascalientes; and over 1,000 on the line running from Chihuahua to Ciudad JuĆ”rez, bordering El Paso, Texas.
Mexico has experienced a recent influx of migrants originating from South and Central America, all aiming to reach the United States. Many of them traverse the challenging DariƩn Gap, a dense jungle region situated between Colombia and Panama.
Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia BĆ”rcena stated earlier this month, “Around 3,000 individuals are crossing the DariĆ©n Gap daily, and when they reach Central America, the number doubles, with nearly 6,000 people arriving at our southern border. When they eventually reach the north, their numbers increase to 8,000.
Mexican authorities have been grappling with a growing number of migrants attempting to reach the U.S. border, often resorting to dangerous methods of travel. The suspension of rail services highlights the complexities faced by authorities as they strive to manage this humanitarian challenge.
