Migrants’ shelter in Mexico City proves insufficient

The influx of migrants in Mexico City has surpassed the capacity of both the Jesús Martínez “Palillo” Stadium and local authorities. The Central-American migrants were reported to make lines of between 30 and 40 minutes to receive food, the bathrooms were found in insanitary conditions and there were people sleeping on the grass during the second day of the migrant caravan’s stay in Mexico City.

The Mexico City government had estimated the arrival of 4,000 people at the shelter installed in the Magdalena Mixhuca stadium last night. However, at least 1,500 more people arrived and more than 5,500 people stayed the night at the shelter .

Today, there are more than 7,200 migrants in the city and the local government is trying to figure out how to distribute 16,000 portions of food at the shelters. It was reported that there are 11 large tents , 100 individual tents , and 60 bathing spaces at the Palillo stadium .

The Mexico City government informed that they currently deliver 16,500 food portions a day . Though the authorities are yet to announce the cost of the humanitarian aid, it was reported that each portion had an average cost of 40 pesos (USD$2 as per the current exchange rate). It is estimated that the city administration spends around 660,000 pesos a day on food for the migrant caravans.

Due to a lack of organization and poor sanitary conditions, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) issued precautionary measures, according to Édgar Corzo Sosa, a CNDH investigator .

He claimed that some of the most serious deficiencies were that medical attention was suspended at 20:00 hours , there were not enough showers for men and women, and there were several coordination problems when lifting the tents.

Even the head of the Mexico City government , José Ramón Amieva , claimed to be surprised by the precautionary measures issued by the human rights commission, though he assured that they would be properly addressed.

Although he received criticism due to his statements, the head of government pointed out that the care program put in place to help migrants was conceived in cooperation with the team of Priest Alejandro Solalinde, from the United Nations Organization (UN) , and the chief of government elect, Claudia Sheinbaum , as well as the Human Rights Commission in Mexico City .

At the shelter, workers had to prepare additional tents due to the large influx of migrants and, according to the appointed shelter caretakers, food is beginning to run out. Yesterday, they were only able to serve 4,000 portions in the morning, 4,500 in the afternoon, and 5,000 at night.

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