SAN ANTONIO — U.S. authorities on Thursday announced the indictment of Rigoberto Román Mirando Orozco, a Guatemalan national, for his alleged role in coordinating a human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants in a sweltering tractor-trailer in Texas in 2022.
Mirando Orozco faces six counts of migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious injury in what officials describe as the deadliest smuggling attempt from the U.S.-Mexico border. Prosecutors allege he can be connected to four of the migrants in the trailer, three of whom died.
The indictment comes as part of a broader crackdown that has seen arrests climb to more than a dozen, now extending to Central America after years of investigation. On Wednesday, Guatemalan officials announced the arrests of seven individuals, including Mirando Orozco, accused of facilitating the smuggling operation.
Francisco Jiménez, Guatemala’s Interior Minister, told The Associated Press that the arrests were made possible through 13 raids across three departments of the country. “This is a collaborative effort between the Guatemalan police and Homeland Security, in addition to other national agencies, to dismantle the structures of human trafficking,” Jiménez said.
The case has previously led to charges against six individuals in the United States, including Homero Zamorano Jr., the alleged truck driver, and Christian Martinez. Both Texas residents were arrested shortly after the discovery of the migrants.
Martinez has since pleaded guilty to smuggling-related charges, while Zamorano awaits trial after pleading not guilty. Four Mexican nationals were also arrested in 2023 in connection with the case.
Authorities allege that the smugglers were aware of the trailer’s malfunctioning air-conditioning unit, which failed to provide cool air to the migrants during the three-hour journey from Laredo to San Antonio in sweltering heat. When the trailer was opened in San Antonio, 48 migrants were already dead, with five more succumbing to their injuries in hospitals.
The victims included 27 people from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala, and two from El Salvador, underscoring the multinational nature of the tragedy and the smuggling network.
Prosecutors claim the smuggling operation charged migrants up to $15,000 each for passage into the United States, with the fee covering up to three attempts to cross the border. The organization allegedly operated across Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, sharing resources including routes, guides, and transportation.
Source: VOA
