Guatemalan suspect charged in Texas migrant smuggling tragedy
Guatemala to extradite suspect linked to migrant deaths in Texas
A suspect in Guatemala has been charged with coordinating the 2022 smuggling attempt that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants in Texas, according to the Justice Department. This development signifies a significant expansion of the investigation into the tragedy.
US officials plan to seek the extradition of Rigoberto Román Miranda Orozco, who faces six counts of migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious injury. He could be linked to four Guatemalan migrants found in the trailer, three of whom died. If convicted, he faces a life sentence.
US Attorney Jaime Esparza stated that authorities would pursue suspects regardless of their location. Miranda Orozco, 47, is the first person arrested outside the US in this case. Esparza mentioned that seven individuals have already been arrested in the US. Guatemalan officials have also arrested Miranda Orozco and six others, but only he faces extradition to the US; the rest will be tried in Guatemala.
Acusaron en Estados Unidos a un guatemalteco de tráfico de personas tras la muerte de 53 migrantes dentro de un tráiler. El principal sospechoso de encabezar la banda criminal, Rigoberto Román Miranda Orozco, fue acusado de seis cargos de tráfico de migrantes. Ya no saldrá jamás! pic.twitter.com/kILPZ41y5z
— Chikistrakiz (@chikistrakiz) August 22, 2024
Carlos Merida, Miranda Orozco’s lawyer in Guatemala, claims his client denies the charges and maintains he was merely a regular citizen who lived in the US for 15 years.
Previously charged individuals include Homero Zamorano Jr., the truck driver, and Christian Martinez, both from Texas. Martinez has pleaded guilty, while Zamorano has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. Additionally, four Mexican nationals were arrested in 2023.
The men allegedly knew the trailer’s air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning, leaving the migrants trapped in sweltering conditions for three hours during their journey from Laredo to San Antonio. Temperatures inside reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), and migrants were heard screaming and banging the trailer walls, trying to escape.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday revealed that smugglers forced the migrants to surrender their cellphones before boarding the trailer, leaving them unable to call for help. A powder was spread around the trailer to mask the human scent from patrol dogs at border checkpoints.
When authorities opened the trailer in San Antonio, 48 migrants were already dead. Another 16 were taken to hospitals, where five more died. The victims included 27 from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala, and two from El Salvador. President Joe Biden described the incident as “horrifying and heartbreaking.”
Officials claim the group collaborated with smuggling operations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, and trailers, some stored in a private parking lot in San Antonio.
Migrants paid the organization up to $15,000 each for the journey across the border, with the fee covering up to three attempts.
Guatemala’s Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez revealed that the arrests followed 13 raids across three departments. Police seized vehicles, cash, and rescued other migrants during the operations.
Santiago Palomo, spokesperson for Guatemala’s presidency, stated that the arrest demonstrates the government’s commitment to combating organized crime and cooperating with international agencies.
What Other Media Are Saying
- The Associated Press reports that Guatemalan authorities have arrested seven individuals suspected of smuggling 53 migrants who died in Texas in 2022. The arrests resulted from 13 raids conducted across three departments, and the operation is part of a joint effort with Homeland Security to dismantle human trafficking networks, a key goal of President Bernardo Arévalo’s administration. The apprehended individuals allegedly worked with smuggling operations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing routes, guides, and stash houses.(read more)
- The Los Angeles Times reports that a Guatemalan national has been indicted on charges of smuggling resulting in the deaths of 53 migrants found in a trailer in the US.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was recently arrested in connection with the Texas migrant deaths?
Rigoberto Román Miranda Orozco was arrested in Guatemala.
What charges does Miranda Orozco face in the US?
He faces six counts of migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious injury.
How many migrants died in the 2022 smuggling attempt?
53 migrants died in the smuggling attempt.
What did the smugglers do to prevent the migrants from calling for help?
They forced migrants to give up their cellphones.
What is the maximum penalty Miranda Orozco faces if convicted?
He faces up to life in prison.
