Mexico City, Mexico—- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday that Mexico will send military troops into the United States to assist in the wildfires that are raging in southern California.
For over four days, Los Angeles has been battling wildfires fueled by whipping winds, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.
During her routine press conference, Sheinbaum said the military troops are awaiting migratory documentation to enter U.S. territory, as Mexico’s Foreign Ministry has already confirmed the operation with the U.S. federal government and the government of California.
“They are waiting for the paperwork, especially the one related to being able to get to the United States, but we will support them, not only because the people and the government of Mexico have always been generous but also because there are many Mexicans in this area of the United States. So, we are going to send a support team,” said Sheinbaum during her morning briefing.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, Los Angeles is the leading city for Mexican immigrants, harboring 1.4 million or close to 12%.
Sheinbaum explained the task force will consist of military troops specialized in the DN-III-E protocols, a standard strategy for civilian population assistance in the event of disasters in Mexico.
The fires consuming Los Angeles have already destroyed 90 square miles and forced 150,000 people out of their homes.
However, outgoing President Joe Biden said the death toll could actually be higher. “There are still a lot of people who are unaccounted for: We don’t know where they are,” said the president.
The government of Mexico has shown solidarity in the past with other countries through humanitarian aid and the assistance of its military troops.
In August 2021, for example, Mexico deployed three aircraft from the Mexican Air Force and the Mexican Navy, loaded with humanitarian aid destined for the people of Haiti after the earthquake that struck the Caribbean country. In 2023, a specialized search and rescue team and a military officer were sent to Turkey after a major earthquake in February of that year.
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