The Chiapas state government announced Wednesday that 57 people have now died in the accident involving a truck carrying Guatemalan migrants bound for the U.S. border that occurred outside the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez on December 9.
The truck, packed with 160 migrants, was apparently speeding when it hit the wall of a pedestrian bridge, rolled over and split in two. More than 60 migrants, including various children, are still receiving medical attention, while the National Immigration Institute (INM) has so far granted temporary visas to 17 Guatemalan citizens, permitting them to stay in the country.
As of December 14, 21 of the deceased have been officially identified.
Ken Salazar, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, tweeted: “This tragic loss of life destroys families and sadly illustrates why we urge no one to risk their lives with irregular migration. We send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
Some news reports suggest that the truck passed through three INM checkpoints between the Guatemalan border and the location of the accident without being stopped.
Since taking office in December 2018, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has mobilized law enforcement to prevent large numbers of Central American migrants from making the journey though Mexico to the United States.
However, while the measure has been effective to some degree, it is haphazardly executed, and has led to many complaints of abuses by INM and National Guard officers.