After the temporary suspension of Ferromex operations to the north of the country, more than a thousand migrants were stranded between Chihuahua and Ciudad Juárez.
In the midst of the growing migratory crisis affecting various regions of México, Ferromex reported that, so far, it has temporarily stopped a total of 60 trains, equivalent to the capacity of 1,800 trucks, on routes that cross the regions most impacted by this social and humanitarian problem.
Through a press release, the company announced that in San Francisco de los Romo, Aguascalientes, around one thousand people are in a similar situation, and on the route between Chihuahua and Ciudad Juárez, more than one thousand people are occupying the cargo gondolas.
.@Ferromex se ve obligado a suspender movimiento de trenes de carga para proteger la integridad de personas migrantes. pic.twitter.com/o2Znqozlhw
— Grupo México Prensa (@GMexico_Prensa) September 19, 2023
This decision is taken in response to the notorious increase of migrants who have concentrated in areas close to the railroad tracks, which represents a serious risk to their integrity when using freight trains as a means of transportation.
The company has taken this measure in an effort to prevent accidents and tragedies, as in recent days there have been close to half a dozen regrettable cases of injuries or deaths among groups of migrants who, individually or in families, have boarded freight trains on their route north, despite the serious danger this gives rise to.
The backlog of migrants in recent weeks has increased significantly. In the rail yard in Torreón, Coahuila, more than 1,500 people have been counted, while in Irapuato, Guanajuato, the figure exceeds 800.
In view of this situation, Ferromex has taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend operations on the affected routes, prioritizing the protection of the physical integrity of the migrants.
The company will remain attentive to the measures determined by the authorities of the different levels of government to address this humanitarian crisis in an adequate and safe manner.
It is important to note that Ferromex has also informed its customers about the temporary effects that the freight rail service will experience. This includes productive chains, supply and international trade, which could be affected by this suspension of operations on key routes.