They warn of an increase in trafficking of Cuban women to Mexico

pedestriansA feminist organization serving migrant women in Mexico has warned of an increase in cases of trafficking of Cuban, Colombian and Venezuelan women.

According to María Ángel Vilma, a member of the International Women’s Health Organization, many women arrive in Mexican territory with promises of jobs or after forming online love relationships with Mexican men who have helped them or their families financially for several months or years. pedestriansIn an interview with the agency EFE.

“The abuser sees what he needs to manipulate, it is a trap disguised as love.”said Vilma, who added that once trafficking victims are on Mexican territory, they face different types of violence, everything changes.

Some ask for help, but others remain silent and surrender because it is difficult for them to return because they have bought their plane tickets or they try to convince their families by motivating them to return home. .

María Ángel Vilma explains that these cases are common in women who come from countries with economic crises or with nationalities that have stereotypes about female beauty, such as the Cubans, Colombians and Venezuelans.

Laura Cortes, a member of the group and an expert on gender issues, said trafficking in women is also a problem. “Selective xenophobia”.

“If you are Central American, the behavior and derogatory comments are very ugly, if you are Colombian, Cuban or Venezuelan, you are the sexy girl, the bomb, who they see on television, who they consider a woman from these countries, ” He said.

This puts the number of women of the above nationalities at the top of the list of foreigners trafficked and killed in Mexican territory.

According to the National System of Public Security (SNSP), the aforementioned agency detailed that of the 227 foreigners killed in Mexico from 2015 to 2023, 32 were Colombians and 29 Venezuelans. Efe He did not provide details of the number of Cuban women murdered in that period.

mid january A total of 25 women from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico were detained during a search of a bar in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, according to a note published by the office of the Attorney General of that federal unit in southern Mexico.

Earlier, in September 2023, it was announced that more than 2,000 migrant women were prostituting themselves in nightclubs in the Mexican border city of Tapachula.

On that occasion, Cristian Gómez Fuentes, head of the Street Brigade Community Center, told local Mexican media South Journal those hundreds of women They provide sexual services in businesses and the majority of them are Cuban.

The phenomenon of trafficking and sexual exploitation of Cuban women is not limited to Mexico, a few weeks ago A group of 11 Cubans and two Venezuelans were rescued Who became a victim of sexual exploitation in a dance club in Suriname.

In that case, the investigation began when a woman contacted the Paramaribo Motorcycle Unit and indicated that she had fled a dance bar where she had been sexually assaulted. Police later learned that the victims were lured to Suriname and kept in rooms attached to bars where they later became involved in prostitution.

It was revealed that the expenses for the trip to Suriname were covered by the club owner, who was also given the income generated by the women. 13 women from Cuba and Venezuela were placed in a protective shelter.