Mexico considering $30 billion Central American investment to stop migrant crisis — US should, too

I have an op-ed with The Hill arguing that the US should provide greater attention and resources to the humanitarian crisis in Central America.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is considering a plan to invest $30 billion over the next five years to promote development in Central America’s Northern Triangle of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The plan’s details are still unsettled but investing in Central America, and even southern Mexico, to reduce the number of people who feel that they have no choice but to leave the region is worth the investment.

Central America's political and economic development needs to be more of a priority. This plan might not address the needs of the millions of people who have already left and are in transit somewhere in Mexico or awaiting asylum hearings in the United States, which should also be addressed. A few million dollars here and there with little follow-through has not cut it. The United States should work with its Mexican and Central American partners to address the immediate and long-term needs of those living amidst a humanitarian crises.

Given the cast of characters now occupying the highest elected office in the United States, Mexico, and Central America's Northern Triangle, I'm skeptical about a truly transformative initiative. However, several opportunities for cooperation on mutually beneficial policies do exist.

You can read my thoughts here.