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Mexico working with affected countries after 40 killed in INM migrant facility fire

Mexico City, Mexico — Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) has sent its condolences in the tragic death of 40 Latin American nationals due to a fire.

In a statement, the SRE said they are in close coordination with the foreign ministries, embassies and consulates of the countries whose nationals were affected, as well as with federal and local agencies, actors and international agencies to support the victims and their families.

In turn, the Consulate General of Mexico in El Paso, Texas, is in coordination with local and state authorities in order to contribute to the medical care of injured people, if necessary.

The Undersecretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean summoned ambassadors and consuls from Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, Colombia and Ecuador, representatives of the countries of origin of the victims of the fire, to report on the efforts being made by the Federal Government and coordinate international efforts to care for the injured, repatriation of the victims and define the steps to follow to clarify the facts.

The SRE will cooperate with the National Migration Institute, the National Human Rights Commission, the Republic Attorney General’s Office, local and cross-border institutions and other competent authorities, to seek the best possible treatment for the victims of the accident, clarify the facts, and the investigation that proceeds as a result of this incident is as expeditious and efficient as possible.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry reiterates its condolences to the families of the victims.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also guaranteed that a thorough investigation will be carried out under the zero impunity policy. On Wednesday morning he said “There are versions. We already have preliminary information, but we want to have all the elements.”

He affirmed that the Government of Mexico is collaborating with the Attorney General of the Republic in the investigations in order to clarify the causes of what happened.

“There is no purpose to hide the facts, no purpose to protect anyone. The violation of human rights is not allowed in our government nor is impunity allowed,” he said at his Wednesday morning press conference.

“I am requesting the Attorney General of the Republic, as is its duty and power, to continue with the judicial investigation so that a resolution is issued, action is taken, responsibilities are established and there is no impunity, that it is well clarified who was responsible,” he emphasized.

On Monday night, a fire in an INM migrant shelter in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua left 40 dead and 28 hospitalized in serious condition. Video of the interior area where the migrants were being held and the fire broke out has begun circulating showing two INM officials walking away from the ‘caged’ migrants who, according to the video, were left to die.

“I want to express my condolences to the relatives, to the inhabitants of the countries where the migrants who unfortunately lost their lives in this fire in Ciudad Juárez originate.

“My deepest condolences to our Venezuelan, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Ecuadorian, Colombian brothers and to the governments of these countries,” he said.