Mexico to give economic aid to migrants coming from Central and South America

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Mexico's president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced during a news conference last week that the federal government will give migrants who choose to return to their home countries $110 per month.

This aid is part of a "temporary job" action Mexico is trying to do to make migrants not want to leave their home countries to go to the U.S. again.

Among the countries being helped are Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, among others.

These actions are raising split opinions among Mexican officials and politicians, saying this economic aid does not solve the migration problem the U.S. and Mexico have.

Mexican media outlets have reported these programs could help up to 5,000 Venezuelans in eight months.

President López Obrador said he got into an agreement with Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro to give 11,000 Mexican pesos, or nearly $650 to each migrant returned to Venezuela from Mexico or the U.S.

Xóchilt Gálvez, one of the candidates running for Mexico's president this year has stated these actions are illegal because Mexico would be assisting a country mandated by a dictator.

ABC-7 has reached out to one of the biggest migrant shelters in Juárez, La Casa del Migrante for comment.