As measures are implemented to tighten the southern border as a result of an agreement with the United States, Mexico will help provide jobs for Central American migrants entering the country from Guatemala, the president said.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador told his morning press conference today that his administration’s corruption clean-up campaign has freed up funding and economic resources necessary to deal with the migration crisis.

“That is the importance of not permitting corruption and decadence in government; now that we need additional resources, we have them. We do not have to ask for credit because the finance department has the resources we need.”

The president suggested that some of the migrants could find work within in Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life), the federal government’s ambitious program to plant timber and fruit trees on one million hectares of land in rural Mexico.

Alternatively, López Obrador said that migrants might find opportunities as workers in the federal government’s plan for earthquake reconstruction in Oaxaca, or at the new oil refinery in Dos Bocas, Tabasco.

He said he had instructed his cabinet to broaden federal programs in the region to provide more sources of employment for migrants.

The president offered an assurance that all migrants arriving in Mexico will receive humanitarian treatment from authorities.

The president’s remarks come just days after the Mexican government’s last-minute agreement with the United States to deploy the National Guard to the country’s southern border and allow migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to remain in Mexico while awaiting a decision from authorities.

Calling the agreement “an interesting challenge,” President López Obrador said the Mexican people and investors are content because the pact not only avoided a financial crisis for Mexico, it will strengthen the peso.

“We are always going to look for agreements, opt for dialogue and, with hard work, succeed in developing the region.”

Source: El Universal (sp), La Verdad (sp)