Kamala Harris confirms her visit to Mexico and Guatemala | The most important news and analysis in Latin America

US Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday (05.05.2021) to reporters that her already announced trip to Mexico and Guatemala – her first international trip – will take place on June 7-8.

“Currently, the plan is for him to travel to Mexico and Guatemala on June 7-8,” said Harris, who said he is looking forward to the trip, which will take place after several virtual business meetings with leaders of the two countries.

US President Joe Biden mandated Harris to address the increasing flow of migrants from the Northern Triangle (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) to the border between his country and Mexico, with an emphasis on addressing the root causes of mass displacement.

Harris said he will hold a second virtual meeting with the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, this week.

Since now, the number of illegal immigrants arriving at the US border from Mexico and being held by border guards has increased, jumping from 101,028 in February to 172,131 in March.

Investments in the region to avoid migration

The vice president also indicated that she is talking to companies about investments in the region, as part of a strategy to prevent migrants from leaving their countries.

In response to criticism of the situation at the border – where arrests of illegal immigrants peaked for 15 years in March – Harris replied that if the challenges were “easy” they could have been resolved long ago.

“The work we are doing will not appear overnight. It will require a long-term strategy,” he said.

Regarding the situation in El Salvador, after Tuesday, Harris criticized the dismissal of the judges and indicated that the United States “should respond.” The senior official said Wednesday that they are still “thinking about options.”

“But when I look at the challenges that come from the Northern Triangle, we have to look at El Salvador,” he explained.

jc (afp, efe)