Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday apprehended seven individuals from Guatemala, accusing them of involvement in the smuggling of 53 migrants from Mexico and Central America who tragically perished due to asphyxiation in 2022 within a tractor trailer in Texas. The migrants were abandoned in the sweltering summer heat.
These arrests mark the latest development in an ongoing investigation spanning several years into one of the deadliest human smuggling incidents targeting the United States. Among the deceased were eight children.
informed The Associated Press that these arrests were made possible following 13 raids across three Guatemalan departments. Among those detained is Rigoberto Román Mirnado Orozco, alleged to be the leader of the smuggling ring. The United States has formally requested Orozco’s extradition.
“This is a collaborative effort between the Guatemalan police and Homeland Security, in addition to other national agencies, to dismantle the structures of human trafficking, one of the strategic objectives of the government President Bernardo Arévalo in order to take on the phenomenon of irregular migration,” Jiménez said.
Six individuals had previously faced charges related to this incident.
Homero Zamorano Jr., identified by authorities as the driver of the truck, and Christian Martinez were taken into custody shortly after the discovery of the deceased migrants. Both hail from Texas. Martinez later admitted guilt to smuggling-related offenses. Zamorano, however, maintains his innocence regarding smuggling charges and awaits trial. Four Mexican nationals were also apprehended in 2023.
Authorities have stated that the men were aware of the malfunctioning air-conditioning unit in the trailer, which rendered it incapable of providing cool air to the trapped migrants during the scorching, three-hour journey from the border city of Laredo to San Antonio.
Upon opening the trailer in San Antonio, 48 migrants were found lifeless. An additional 16 were transported to hospitals, where five more succumbed to their injuries. The deceased included 27 individuals from Mexico, 14 , seven from Guatemala and two from El Salvador.
Authorities allege that the men collaborated with human smuggling operations in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks and trailers. Some of these trailers were stored in a private parking lot in San Antonio.
Migrants reportedly paid the organization up to $15,000 each for transport across the U.S. border. This fee covered up to three attempts to enter the country.
Orozco, the suspected ringleader, was apprehended in the Guatemalan department of San Marcos, bordering Mexico. The remaining arrests took place in the departments of Huehuetenango and Jalapa. Law enforcement officials identified the gang as “Los Orozcos” due to the presence of several family members bearing that surname among those detained.