Western Hemisphere nations pledge to continue coordinating response to historic regional migration

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Representatives from 22 Western Hemisphere countries gathered in Guatemala renewed their commitment Tuesday to continue offering legal pathways to enter their countries, to provide aid to communities most affected by migration and to coordinate their response to manage immigration flows.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that progress had been made in all of those areas during the past two years. Still, the region saw record migration last year both through the treacherous Darien Gap separating Colombia and Panama and at the U.S. border.

Two years ago, leaders from across the hemisphere signed the “Los Angeles Declaration,” a U.S.-led attempt to coordinate a regional response to historic levels of migration.

“At the core of our efforts is the message that individuals should take advantage of lawful pathways rather than make the dangerous journey north,” Blinken said during a news conference with Guatemala President Bernardo Arévalo Tuesday morning.