US Charges 5 Guatemalans Linked to Fatal 2021 Mexico Truck Crash

The site of a trailer accident that left over 50 people dead, most of them illegal immigrants from Central America, in Tuxtla Gutierrez, in Chiapas state, Mexico, on Dec. 9, 2021. Jacob Garcia/Reuters

Five Guatemalans have been arrested in connection to the 2021 crash of a semi-trailer truck, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 illegal immigrants, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday.

The arrests of the alleged human smugglers were made in Guatemala and Texas.

The arrests were announced on the third anniversary of the fatal crash, in which a semi-trailer truck carrying 160 migrants—mostly Guatemalan nationals—crashed near Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas, Mexico, while en route to the United States. The crash also left over 100 migrants injured.

The DOJ stated that Guatemalan law enforcement arrested Tomas Quino Canil, 36; Alberto Marcario Chitic, 31; Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 24; and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 42. Another Guatemalan national, Jorge Agapito Ventura, 32, was arrested at his residence in Cleveland, Texas.

They were indicted with conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injuries, and resulting in death, according to the indictment.

The indictment showed that six men were arrested in connection to the case, but one of the names was redacted. The DOJ only mentioned five arrests.

It stated that the men allegedly conspired with other smugglers and received payments to bring migrants from Guatemala into the United States through Mexico between October 2021 and February 2023.

Prosecutors said the smugglers communicated via the Facebook Messenger app to request and deliver identification documents for illegal immigrants planning to enter the United States.

The illegal immigrants were moved on foot and in microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor trailers, according to the indictment. Some of the smuggling instances involved unaccompanied minors, and the defendants would provide scripts and instructions on what to say if apprehended, it stated.

Some of the illegal immigrants recruited by the defendants were among those killed or suffered bodily injury in the 2021 truck crash that happened in Chiapas, according to the DOJ.

“The tragedy that occurred three years ago today in Chiapas is further proof that human smugglers are ruthless, callous, and dangerous—intending migrants should not believe their lies,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a press release.

Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez stated that the men were part of a criminal network named “Los Quinos,” which trafficked illegal immigrants to the United States.

Jiménez said the defendants were among those arrested in 15 raids conducted by the Guatemalan authorities, and the United States has requested their extradition.

“The results demonstrate that Guatemala is committed to security and justice, facing these threats with all the strength of the State,” he said in a statement, adding that Guatemala would be willing to work with international allies in combating organized crime.

All the defendants were indicted in the Southern District of Texas. It could not be established whether they have been assigned attorneys at this time.