Increase in asylum requests to Canada – Diario de Centro America

Photo: EFE

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that there had been an increase in asylum requests from Mexicans in Quevec, Canada, and indicated that they would investigate the reason for the influx of refugees into that country.

“We have to see whether they are really people who need protection or if it is a way to enter Canada,” the president said during his morning press conference, ruling out that the immigration movement has any connection to organized crime. He pointed out that the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, asked the Canadian government to once again request entry visas from Mexicans, as in 2023, more than 60,000 people requested this procedure, which represents three times the population of any country. Another Canadian province. He described the situation as “unbearable.”

In this sense, López Obrador denied that the immigration situation was a product of organized crime, and reiterated that it is an issue that is being addressed with the Government of Canada. Likewise, he said they wanted to deal with the issue in a “very respectful” way, in the spirit of cooperation and reaching an agreement, and he also stressed that the Canadian authorities “do not want to take unilateral action that could affect Mexico.” We appreciate that very much,” he stressed.

Official numbers from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada indicate that from January to November 2023, there were 128,685 people who entered the territory and claimed asylum. Canada has not required a visa for Mexican citizens since 2016.