Guatemalan police have apprehended seven individuals accused of smuggling 53 migrants who tragically died of asphyxiation in Texas in 2022. The victims, including eight children, were abandoned in a tractor-trailer in scorching summer heat. This incident marks the culmination of years of investigation into one of the deadliest migrant smuggling tragedies along the Mexico border.
Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez revealed that the arrests were made possible following 13 raids conducted in three different departments of Guatemala. Among those arrested is Rigoberto Román Miranda Orozco, the alleged leader of the smuggling ring, for whom the United States has requested extradition. The police operations also led to the seizure of vehicles and cash, as well as the rescue of other migrants.
Jiménez emphasized the collaborative effort between Guatemalan police, Homeland Security, and other national agencies to dismantle human trafficking networks. This initiative aligns with President Bernardo Arévalo's government's strategic objective to combat irregular migration.
Previously, six individuals had been charged in connection with the case. Homero Zamorano Jr. and Christian Martinez, both from Texas, were arrested shortly after the discovery of the deceased migrants. Martinez later pleaded guilty to smuggling-related charges, while Zamorano awaits trial after pleading not guilty. Additionally, four Mexican nationals were arrested in 2023.
Authorities disclosed that the individuals involved were aware of the malfunctioning air-conditioning unit in the trailer, which failed to provide cool air to the trapped migrants during the sweltering journey from Laredo to San Antonio. Upon opening the trailer in San Antonio, 48 migrants were found dead, with five more succumbing to their injuries in hospitals. The deceased hailed from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
It is alleged that the accused collaborated with human smuggling operations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing resources such as routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, and trailers. Migrants paid up to $15,000 each to be transported across the U.S. border, with the fee covering up to three attempts to enter the country.
The alleged ringleader, Orozco, was apprehended in San Marcos, near the Mexican border, while other arrests took place in Huehuetenango and Jalapa. The police identified the gang as 'Los Orozcos' due to several members being family and sharing the surname. The Guatemalan government stated that the organization illegally transported hundreds of migrants to the United States, amassing millions of quetzales over several years of operation.
