Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during her daily morning press conference on Thursday, Oct. 3. Photo: Presidencia

By KELIN DILLON

Following the deaths of six migrants in Chiapas at the hands of the Mexican Armed Forces on Tuesday, Oct. 1, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (CSP) took to her daily morning press conference on Thursday, Oct. 3 to condemn the killings, saying that violent incidents like this “cannot be repeated.”

The situation arose when members of the  Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) passed by a series of trucks and vans that were reportedly transporting dozens of migrants in Chiapas; after purportedly hearing gunshots inside the vehicles, the army members opened fire on the trucks, leaving six dead and twelve injured in the incident’s wake.

According to Sheinbaum, the Sedena elements involved in the killings have been fired and are currently in the hands of the Attorney General of the Federation (FGR).

“It is a regrettable event and it must be investigated and punished,” Sheinbaum said from the National Palace. “The elements of the Sedena, who were already fired, have been placed at the disposal of the FGR and it is the FGR that has to carry out the investigation of how the events occurred, the responsibilities, if there is additional responsibility of the commanders or only of the soldiers who fired on the migrants.”

President Sheinbaum also highlighted the Mexican government’s ongoing efforts to support the families of the deceased. The government is currently in contact with the embassies of Egypt, El Salvador, and Peru, the countries from which the migrants reportedly originated, to provide necessary assistance and comfort during this difficult time.

Notably, the Peruvian government has announced its intention to demand a comprehensive investigation into the deadly shootings from Mexico. This international response underscores the global impact of the incident, as one of its citizens was among those killed during the confrontation on Tuesday.