The Guatemalan government has enhanced its border security efforts to stop the flow of migrants passing through their territory.
The National Civil Police (PNC) of Guatemala initiated a country-wide operation to reduce the flow of migrants attempting to enter Mexico and travel on to the United States. Law enforcement placed checkpoints on three major roads to inspect private vehicles and buses that may be transporting migrants to the Guatemala-Mexico border.
According to PNC Chief of Operations, Erlin Godinez Navarro, he hopes the operation will identify human smugglers or "coyotes" in the region. He also noted the operation seeks to remove firearms from suspected criminals and reduce violent crime overall in Guatemala.
Also, the Attorney General's office of Guatemala formed a new unit to investigate and prosecute human smuggling cases, especially to dismantle the criminal organizations that facilitate smuggling.