(Mexico City) Some 1.39 million irregular migrants from 177 countries passed through Mexico between January and May, trying to reach the United States, the Mexican National Institute of Migration (INM) reported on Sunday.
The vast majority of them were adults traveling alone, while nearly 3,000 were unaccompanied minors, the institute said in a press release.
These migrants came from 177 countries, almost every country in the world, as the United Nations has 193 member states.
The largest number of people, almost 380,000, came from Venezuela, a country in the grip of a severe economic crisis, followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and Haiti, all hard hit by gang violence and drug traffic.
Other people attempting the dangerous crossing from Mexico in search of a better life in the United States came from as far away as China, Mauritania, India and Angola, according to the INM.
In 2023, more than 2.4 million people crossed the Mexico-U.S. border illegally, according to U.S. migration statistics.
The flow reached a record 10,000 people per day in December. It has since decreased, as both countries have taken restrictive measures.
At the beginning of June, American President Joe Biden increased restrictions with a text issued by decree which facilitates expulsions to Mexico and limits the right to asylum when there are too many arrivals.
