Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Elbrard stated Wednesday that the United States must invest more in Central America to reduce northbound migration to record levels.
Record numbers of migrants are heading to the United States from Mexico this year, driven by economic downturns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They also hope for more welcoming immigration policies under President Joe Biden.
Biden pledged to address the root causes of Central American migration by working to reduce poverty and violence, as well as corruption.
“There needs to be a bigger investment from the United States in Central America than has been given, without a doubt,” Ebrard stated to a Mexican radio program when asked about the prospect of Mexico acting as a barrier for migrants.
“Without this investment, if the United States does not support Central America, it’s very hard to think that the migration flows that are happening will diminish,” Ebrard continued to add.
Biden wrote to Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Mexican President, to note that the United States has provided more than $600 million in foreign assistance in the past year to the Northern Triangle nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
Biden also requested $861 million more from Congress in order to allocate Central America funds for the 2022 fiscal years.
