'La Bestia': Mexico Prevents Immigrants from Climbing on Train
Undocumented immigrants making the trip up north have lost access to one of the methods through which they make the journey. Mexico has stepped up efforts to prevent immigrants from riding the train known as "La Bestia."
At the end of July, leaders from Guatemala, Mexico and the United States agreed to step up efforts in decreasing the numbers of immigrants riding the train as stowaways, according to BBC News. The three countries decided to increase checkpoints along the train's route to crack down on immigrants riding it.
BBC News explained that riding on the train can be very dangerous for stowaways as they are liable to fall off and, at times, lose limbs under the train's wheels. Criminal gangs also harass them during their journey.
The U.S. Custom and Border Patrol attempted to educate migrants with a song, hoping to deter them from riding on "La Bestia" and crossing into the U.S. However, the Mexican government has also stepped up efforts to prevent migrants from riding on the cargo train.
Though the Mexican government did not appear to curtail the influx of immigrants crossing through their territory, Agence France-Presse reported that Mexican authorities from the country's federal police and its National Immigration Institute (INM) have been detaining migrants from Central America in a renewed attempt to restrain the immigrant influx.
Authorities have detained around 150 people by going to hotels and other places were the migrants reside while making the journey, AFP reported. Police have been patrolling bus stations as well as along the railroad tracks. The efforts by Mexican authorities focus in the south of the country, in Tapachula, state of Chiapas.
The company that owns "La Bestia," Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab (FCCM) has announced it will invest $150 million over the next five years to increase the train's speed, Voz de America reported. The train's speed would be up increased to 30 kilometers per hour from 10 kilometers per hour. This would deter migrants from jumping aboard because of the train's speed.
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