Guatemala-Baseline assessment of migration flows and migrants presence within the context of COVID-19 report- #5 (May, 2021))

The flow of Central American migrants, mainly from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua continues despite the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, and the challenges and risks that migration entails. That said, thousands of people leave their countries of origin in search of better living conditions. Consequently, migrants continue to arrive at the southern borders of both Mexico and the United States in search of a new opportunity for survival with greater security and better living conditions.  

According to the sources interviewed and the media consulted, the factors that push these populations to leave their country of origin are mainly associated with meeting basic health, education, and security needs. As well as the crisis caused by climate change, which has mainly affected the agriculture of peasants living in rural areas.  

In this regard, last May, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), President of Mexico, proposed the "Sowing Life" program in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador at a virtual climate summit. The program will be promoted in southeastern Mexico and Central America to plant 3 billion additional trees and generate 1.2 million jobs.  

The commitment to jointly address the challenges related to irregular migration was reiterated, as well as to strengthen mechanisms for the protection and comprehensive care of children and adolescents, both accompanied and unaccompanied.  

In addition, the first meeting of organizations with delegates of the National Migration Authority was held, with the aim of making known the elements and criteria proposed for the development of the National Migration Policy. 

This event allows to highlight the urgency of the migration issue and the need to address migration with a focus beyond border security, otherwise the events of the past months, regarding the caravans in Guatemala, will continue to increase.