The Ministry of Foreign Relations says it is working closely with the Mexican authorities to identify the Dominican victims in the people-smuggling tragedy in Chiapas, Mexico. So far, four Dominicans from southern Peravia province have been confirmed to have died in the traffic accident. These are Ángel Lisandro Lugo García, Juan Alberto Soto, Yuniel Mordán Báez and Frantoni Reinaldo Matos, all under 25 years old. There are reports of several other Dominicans suffering serious injuries.
The freighter was transporting 160 undocumented of which 55 died when it overturned after crashing on a sharp curve on the highway between Chiapa de Corzo and the state capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez. Chiapas’ civil protection agency said on Twitter that the tragedy was the result of a vehicle accident of two trucks traveling on the Belisario Domínguez Bridge and Ribera Cauharé in Chiapa de Corzo. Most in traveling in the people-smuggling truck are from Guatemala.
The Dominicans who have died were from Peravia province. These had paid upwards of US$22,000 for the promise of reaching the United States. The city of Baní declared three days of mourning.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations says that the Dominican vice consul in Mexico City, Enmanuel Mercedes has been assigned by general consul Thomas Duran to be in permanent contact with Mexican authorities and is in Chiapas to continue the work to identify Dominican nationals.
Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Foreign Relations
Noticias SIN
Listin Diario
El Caribe
14 December 2021