Mexican Embassy says Asian Group did not pass through its border

Earlier today we caught up with Marcelino Miranda, who is responsible for border affairs at the Embassy of Mexico.  Miranda responded to reports that surfaced over the weekend that the group of Asian nationals might be held up in Cancun.

Marcelino Miranda, Press Officer, Embassy of Mexico

marcelino miranda

“At the moment the immigration authority in Mexico has checked and there is no group of Chinese detained in Cancun or in any other part of Quintana Roo.

Jose Sanchez

“And that goes for Japanese also?”

Marcelino Miranda

“Yeah for Japanese. There is no Japanese or Chinese origin group of nationals detained in Mexico.”

Jose Sanchez

“On three different dates—September eighteenth, nineteenth and October third—that there were groups of Asian nationals passing through Belize. The process at the border has become lengthy recently. Have you any documentation of these nationals, Asian nationals passing through the border?”

Marcelino Miranda

“Immigration Authorities in Mexico, they have confirmed that they have not detected any group either Chinese either Japanese nationals detained in Mexico and they haven’t crossed the border according to the records of Mexican Immigration. In any case as part of coordination between Belizean and Mexican authorities, they are checking, they are alerted about the possibility of these nationalities, from China or Japan.”

Jose Sanchez

“In terms of crossing the border, are there different measures in place for Japanese versus Chinese nationals.  I know for the U.S., the visa requirements are nil for Japanese.”

Marcelino Miranda

“Yeah, Japanese they don’t need a visa to enter Mexico. But in any case, all nationals of any nationality need to pass through the immigration process either at Chetumal or in Cancun when they are going to leave Mexico. So in any case, for Mexican Immigration Authorities, there is a way in which they can check whether a group of Japanese are going to enter Mexico.  So in any case that’s something that would be detected by immigration authorities in Mexico.”

Jose Sanchez

“So essentially if there were Japanese large groups, they will have no problem legally crossing the border?”

Marcelino Miranda

“In any case, they have to register their entry. So Chinese nationals need visa to enter Mexico, Japanese, they don’t need visas. But in any case, they would be detected.”