Mexico’s migration institute suspends operations in Tapachula after ‘violent’ incident

March 18 (Reuters) – Mexico’s National Institute for Migration (INM) said on Friday it had temporarily suspended operations in the Chiapas town of Tapachula after some staff were injured in what it said “violent” incident involving migrants.

Tapachula, a border town with Guatemala, has been the scene of previous clashes between authorities and migrants waiting for papers to be able to move freely through the country.

The INM said some of its workers were injured in a “violent eruption” caused by “pseudo-leaders” among the migrants. Some INM facilities were also damaged, she said in a statement.

Operations have been suspended until further notice because the safety of its property and personnel could not be assured, the INM said.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants, mostly from Central America, flee violence and poverty but must wait for permits to cross Mexico to reach the United States, or for answers to their asylum applications to stay in Mexico.

Reporting by Carolina Pulice; additional reporting by Diego Ore; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

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