Migración en la frontera sur, una visión desde Chiapas

The importance of Mexico’s southern border —home to a heterogeneous body of human beings and a place of vast linguistic and cultural wealth— is discussed in this article. Thousands of refugees have poured into Mexican territory as a direct consequence of warfare in Central America. According to the author, since 2000, Chiapas has experienced a new reality as an international actor. The southern border has acquired special geopolitical relevance, due to its potential to forge commercial relationships and the enormous inflow of immigrants to the region, which serves as a bridge to the United States. Salazar Mendiguchía then goes on to explain Chiapas’ strategic position and the political will of the state government to integrate the southern border into regional, national and international development plans. The migratory phenomenon, in all its aspects, both positive and negative, needs to be addressed jointly by the local and federal governments, and other countries in the zone. It is Mexico’s task, he says, to come up with a political strategy for migration that, among other aspects, encourages respect for human rights and promotes development via cooperative agreements and projects.