A suspect has been arrested in Guatemala and charged with helping coordinate a smuggling attempt that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants in Texas in 2022, the Justice Department announced on Thursday. Rigoberto Román Miranda Orozco faces six counts of migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious injury, with authorities alleging he can be connected to four Guatemalan migrants in the trailer, three of whom died. Miranda Orozco is the first person arrested outside of the country to face charges in connection with the investigation, and U.S. authorities plan to seek his extradition. Seven people have been arrested in the U.S. in connection with the case, while six more were arrested in Guatemala.
Miranda Orozco denies the charges against him, claiming he was a regular citizen who was a migrant in the U.S. for 15 years. Other individuals previously charged in connection with the smuggling attempt include Homero Zamorano Jr., who drove the truck, and Christian Martinez, both from Texas. Martinez has pleaded guilty to smuggling-related charges, while Zamorano has pleaded not guilty. Additionally, four Mexican nationals were arrested in 2023 for their involvement in the case. Authorities say the men were aware that the trailer’s air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning during the journey from Laredo to San Antonio, where temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the indictment against Miranda Orozco, the smugglers forced the migrants to give up their cellphones before getting inside the trailer, leaving them with no way to call for help. The trailer was also treated with an unknown powder to prevent the smell of human cargo from being detected by patrol dogs. When the trailer was eventually opened in San Antonio, 48 migrants were already dead, with five more dying in hospitals. The victims included individuals from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and President Joe Biden described the tragedy as horrifying and heartbreaking.
Authorities believe the men involved in the smuggling operation worked with human trafficking networks in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing routes, stash houses, trucks, and trailers. Migrants paid the organization up to $15,000 each to be smuggled across the border, covering up to three attempts. Guatemala officials have accused the group of housing and transferring hundreds of migrants to the U.S. over several years. Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez stated that the arrests were made after raids in three departments of Guatemala, during which police seized vehicles and cash and rescued other migrants. The Guatemalan government emphasized its commitment to fighting organized crime and collaborating with international agencies.
