President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged this morning that the National Guard, in some cases, has used force against migrants on the southern border, but refused to have overcommitted them for restraint.
“Very well the National Guard, resisting, not using force, just holding on. They haven’t really used force. In some cases, on the first day, there was a fact I would say isolated. Luckily we haven’t had any injuries. I have information that the National Guard has acted well,” he said at a press conference.
Just on January 21, the president ruled out any incident with the migrants, who violated their rights or any act of repression, although he now acknowledged that “isolated acts” did occur. That day, the guard’s elements threw themselves at them and immobilized them to prevent them from continuing.
Read: Mexico, The Other Trump Wall That Ended the Caravan and The Hope of Migrants
The president was questioned about some videos showing elements of the Guard throwing gas and chasing the migrants. Families with children who cry while being “rescued” by guards with shields, toletes and pepper spray, and even mocking them.
A video, which has already been pronounced by the National Guard, shows that one of the elements says “here I bring the gas” to the migrants, and then smiles, while they were afraid to be arrested and deported.
This National Guard officer found it amusing to spend poor people fleeing in flip flops with their children. #CaravanaDeMigrantes pic.twitter.com/WT45kjpbfh
— Alberto Pradilla (@albertopradilla) January 23, 2020
In this regard, López Obrador said that his government is not violating rights because the time when the state was the main rapist is over.
“Fortunately we haven’t had any injuries. They have been given shelter, medical care, I have information that the National Guard has acted well,” he insisted.
He added that the recommendation he gives to his cabinet on a daily basis is to respect everyone’s individual guarantees, because “the conservatives” are on the hunt for him to make a mistake.
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