LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – For the last 25 years, the City of Laredo has served as a center point for Mexican citizens from across the U.S. and Canada who are traveling into Mexico for the holiday season.
Every year, the city sets up services to ensure a smooth journey, and this year is no exception.
According to the Consul of Protection, Carlos Enrique Gonzalez Echeverría, “All these families that come are of Mexican origin and come from everywhere in the United States, choosing Laredo to go into Mexico for the holidays.“
Every year, families from all over the U.S. and Canada load up their vehicles with gifts, luggage and supplies and head to Laredo.
Part of the Paisano operation has been protecting and supporting those traveling long distances into Mexico to visit loved ones for the past 25 years.
This year, the City of Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau (LCVB) collaborated with the Mexican Consulate General, as well as numerous city, state and federal agencies from both sides of the border, to ensure the operation runs smoothly.
Echeverría says travelers get assistance from Mexican customs to prepare important documentation they’ll need before crossing to avoid any setbacks.
Adding, “The customs personnel go and look at their vehicles and make sure everything is okay. If there is a family member that needs to pay an immigration permit, like a tourist, we have that immigration authority here and they can pay for that.“
Among the many travelers are Ximena and Cuitlahuac Alvarado, who traveled from Florida on their way to Guanajuato.
This trip carries extra weight for them as they’ve just received news that their grandmother doesn’t have much time left.
“My grandma has cancer, and we just got the news that they don’t think that she’ll make it till the end of the year. We just wanna say hi before she goes. She wants to see our faces once more and we’re hoping she makes it to New Year,” said Ximena Alvarado.
She adds that the reason they travel with the caravan is safety, as they have previously been the victim of a robbery while traveling alone.
Mentioning, “[It was] terrifying, it was awful. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again with the caravan. Safety is one of our main concerns and they pulled through for us last year.“
On Thursday, December 19, at 4 a.m., Ximena and Cuitlahuac Alvarado, along with hundreds of other paisanos, will cross into Mexico, guided by the very program that has become a vital part of their journey.
Many of these caravans are heading to the states of Guanajuato and Queretaro, Mexico.
Once more, Paisanos will be headed towards Mexico starting at around 4 a.m., and traffic is expected to increase on the southbound lanes of I-35 until 8 a.m.
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