The government of Guatemala has refuted a report published last week by the The Washington Post that said United States Homeland Security personnel would help Guatemalan border agents control the movement of migrants.
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said his country would not accept troops from the U.S. or any other country.
“There have been proposals” regarding military cooperation on migration issues, he said, adding that “there has been some civilian and military cooperation [with the United States] but that is different from deploying troops.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Sandra Jovel said “there was confusion” and the only agreements reached with the United States were with regard to collaboration in fighting drug and human trafficking.
However, there are U.S. troops in Huehuetenango, working on infrastructure, health and education projects.
The Post report stated that the deployment of U.S. troops would focus on that region, which borders the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Huehuetenango has some of the highest emigration levels in Guatemala.
Source: Milenio (sp)
