Harris message to migrants: ‘Do not come, do not come’

US Vice President Kamala Harris is on a three-day trip to Central America, aiming to stem the flow of migrants to the US. During a joint news conference with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei held, Harris said that it is important to discourage people from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras – the three countries where the majority of migrants hail from – from making a journey to the US border. “We also discussed illicit drugs that are being smuggled and humans who are being trafficked across these borders undermining the security of both Guatemala and the people of the United States.” She said the US would help create a smuggling and human trafficking task force as well as an anti-corruption task force, charged with supporting and training local prosecutors to create an independent judiciary that would root our corruption networks in the country. “Ultimately it is up to the government of Guatemala that foreign aid isn’t lost to corruption,” Rapalo said, adding that without making structural changes “no amount of foreign aid will prevent people from fleeing north”. Shortly before meeting Giammattei Harris said her trip to the country demonstrated the Biden’s administration focus on re-establishing ties with allies around the world and was “a reflection of the priority President Biden placed on this region”.