Mexico categorically will not allow the United States to send Mexican migrants to Guantanamo Bay, and will instead accept them back to the country, News.bg reports.
This was stated by Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente, quoted by "Reuters".
Diplomatic note to Washington
The Mexican government has sent an official diplomatic note to the US Embassy in Mexico, confirming its position on the matter. This comes in response to the actions of the US, which has already sent the first military plane with migrants to the naval base in Cuba.
Expanding Guantanamo for migrants
President Donald Trump announced plans to expand the capacity of the Guantanamo base to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem stressed that the goal is not to detain migrants indefinitely, but to enforce US laws.
The naval base already operates a special building for migrants, separate from the high-security prison where foreign terrorism suspects are held. This facility has been used intermittently for decades, including to detain Haitians and Cubans taken from the sea.
Deportations and economic sanctions
Trump continues his tough policy against illegal migration, threatening countries with economic sanctions if they refuse to take back their citizens. Some countries have already agreed to cooperate with the US administration.
In addition to combating migration, Washington has also focused its efforts on stopping the spread of fentanyl - another serious problem the country is struggling with. However, the US authorities are facing difficulties with a shortage of deportation planes.