Authorities in Guatemala arrest 7 who allegedly trafficked 53 migrants who asphyxiated while trapped inside a tractor-trailer in Texas
Seven people were detained by Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday. They are suspected of planning a deadly human trafficking scheme that killed 53 migrants in Texas in 2022. Originating from Mexico and Central America, the victims suffocated to death after being left inside a hot tractor-trailer.
Following a multi-year investigation, the arrests represented a critical turning point in the quest for justice for the victims of the deadliest migrant smuggling incident in recent memory. The Associated Press reported that eight children were among the deceased.
Francisco Jiménez, the interior minister, revealed that the operation comprised 13 raids spread over three departments in Guatemala. Rigoberto Román Mirnado Orozco, the alleged leader of the smuggling ring, was one of the key figures apprehended; the US has requested his extradition.
Along with making arrests, police also seized cash and vehicles and saved other migrants. The operation’s collaborative nature, involving the Guatemalan police, Homeland Security, and other national agencies, was stressed by Minister Jiménez. This endeavor was in line with President Bernardo Arévalo’s strategic goal of combating irregular migration and breaking up networks of human trafficking.
Christian Martinez and the tractor-trailer’s driver, Homero Zamorano Jr., had previously been taken into custody in relation to the incident. The two men were from Texas and were accused of smuggling. In 2023, four Mexican nationals were also taken into custody.
The horrifying deaths were caused in part by the trailer’s broken air conditioning system, which was known to the people involved, according to investigations. 48 migrants had already died when the San Antonio authorities found the trailer. Five of the 16 who were rushed to hospitals later died from their wounds.
Mexico (27), Honduras (14), Guatemala (7), and El Salvador (2) were the countries of origin of the victims. According to the authorities, the smuggling operation involved people from several different countries who shared vehicles, safe houses, guides, and routes. Exorbitant fees, frequently exceeding $15,000, were paid by migrants for the dangerous journey.
The suspected ringleader, Orozco, was apprehended in Guatemala’s San Marcos department, which borders Mexico. There were additional arrests made in Jalapa and Huehuetenango. The gang responsible for smuggling, known as “Los Orozcos,” was made up of relatives and friends.
Dozens of Mexican migrants having trouble breathing inside a hot semi truck trailer with a lightbulb on. (Grok2 AI)
The Guatemalan government issued a statement, saying “Said organization illegally housed and transferred hundreds of migrants of different nationalities to the United States, collecting millions of quetzales [national currency] through several years of operation.”
