Colombia’s ambassador to Mexico, Fernando García, stated this Wednesday that the recent arrest of 11 Colombian soldiers in an operation in Michoacán has a negative impact on the negotiations underway to reduce the number of Colombian nationals denied entry at Mexican airports.
The former Colombian soldiers were arrested on suspicion of participating in a bomb attack on the border between Jalisco and Michoacán on May 28, in which six Mexican soldiers died.
“These types of situations have a major impact, for example, on the negotiations we are conducting to reduce or eliminate the number of Colombian tourists and travelers arriving in Mexico,” García stated in a Foreign Ministry broadcast.
“The participation of Colombian actors in criminal acts simultaneously becomes a measure that the Mexican government reactively adopts to control the entry of Colombians,” he explained.
The refusal of Colombians at airports is a key issue that has been a subject of bilateral discussions for years due to reports of alleged mistreatment.
In March, Colombia reported that negotiations to reduce refusals were progressing positively with Mexican authorities, with mechanisms to expedite data verification for the entry of Colombians.
Ambassador warns of increased refusal of Colombians
However, the Colombian ambassador to Mexico fears setbacks and further refusals. “From this perspective, it has a negative impact on tourism and on the possible mistreatment or deportation of Colombians by Mexican authorities,” he stated.
In 2024, the number of Colombians rejected at Mexican airports doubled, rising from 4 percent of all arrivals in 2023 to 8 percent, when more than 53,000 were denied entry, according to official data from the Mexican National Migration Institute.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed that 11 of the 17 detained in the operation are Colombian nationals and belonged to the Armed Forces, without specifying their ranks or identities. Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated in a speech on Tuesday that among the detainees are “active” military personnel, contradicting the Foreign Ministry’s information.
Ambassador García stated that they are working closely with the Mexican government to discuss how to overcome the “transnational crimes” affecting both countries and the region.
Through a bill currently before Congress, the Colombian government is seeking legal instruments to confront international organizations that recruit former Colombian military personnel, hardened by the prolonged five-decade internal conflict, as mercenaries in other countries.
Source: elfinanciero
