Guatemalan police have arrested seven individuals accused of smuggling 53 migrants who died of asphyxiation in Texas in 2022. These arrests came after years of investigating the deadliest tragedy involving migrants being smuggled across the border. Among those who died were eight children. The arrests were made possible after several raids in different departments of Guatemala. The alleged ringleader, Rigoberto Román Mirnado Orozco, has had his extradition requested by the United States. Police also seized vehicles and cash and rescued other migrants during the operations.
The authorities explained that the arrests were a collaborative effort between Guatemalan police, Homeland Security, and other national agencies to combat human trafficking. President Bernardo Arévalo’s government has made dismantling human trafficking networks a strategic goal in addressing irregular migration. Six individuals had been previously charged, including Homero Zamorano Jr. and Christian Martinez, who were arrested shortly after the migrants were found. Martinez pleaded guilty to smuggling-related charges, while Zamorano has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. In 2023, four Mexican nationals were also arrested in connection to the case.
The investigation revealed that the suspects were aware that the air-conditioning unit in the trailer transporting the migrants was malfunctioning, leading to the deaths of 48 individuals before the trailer was opened in San Antonio. Additionally, 16 migrants were taken to hospitals, with five more dying. The deceased included people from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Authorities believe the men worked with human smuggling operations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing routes, stash houses, trucks, and trailers, some of which were kept in a private parking lot in San Antonio.
Migrants paid the organization up to $15,000 each to be taken across the U.S. border, covering up to three attempts to enter the country. Orozco, the alleged ringleader, was arrested on the border with Mexico in the department of San Marcos. Other arrests took place in the departments of Huehuetenango and Jalapa. The gang responsible for the smuggling operation was referred to as “Los Orozcos” because many of those arrested were family members with the surname Orozco. The Guatemalan government stated that the organization had illegally housed and transported hundreds of migrants to the United States over the years, collecting millions of quetzales in the process.
The tragic incident involving the deaths of 53 migrants in a tractor-trailer in Texas shed light on the dangerous world of human trafficking and smuggling across borders. Despite the arrests made in Guatemala, the full extent of these criminal networks and their operations is still being investigated. The collaborative efforts between Guatemalan authorities, Homeland Security, and other national agencies are crucial in dismantling these structures and preventing future tragedies. The arrests and ongoing investigations serve as a reminder of the risks faced by migrants seeking a better life and the need for international cooperation to address the complex issue of irregular migration and human trafficking.
