MIAMI – Seven countries in Central America and North America reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the protection of displaced people and coordinating regional actions in the face of the increase in forced displacement affecting Central America and Mexico, a crisis aggravated by violence, economic precariousness and growing political instability in several nations on the continent.
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama—members of the Comprehensive Regional Framework for Protection and Solutions (MIRPS)—concluded a meeting in which they adopted the “Declaration of Heredia”a document that seeks to “strengthen protection, promote lasting solutions and move towards more coordinated responses,” as announced by the participants.
Multiple factors
According to the Organization of American States (OAS), which released the statement this Wednesday, the region faces one of the largest flows of displacement in the hemisphere, driven by causes ranging from the violence of organized crime to the lack of economic opportunities, factors that continue to expel thousands of families each year.
The MIRPS countries indicated that it will be necessary to implement immediate measures to assist the more than 1.7 million people affected by displacement in Central America and Mexico, and stressed the urgency of increasing cooperation between local governments, international financial organizations and specialized regional mechanisms.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, highlighted that “the MIRPS demonstrates that dialogue, cooperation and shared responsibility are not only possible, but indispensable.” He also stated that “the right to request asylum is a moral and legal obligation that strengthens the sovereignty of States,” at a time when several governments on the continent are toughening their immigration policies.
“Coordinated action”
For his part, the Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin, celebrated that the MIRPS has been consolidated “as a model of coordinated action.” He recalled that the MIRPS Fund, financed by Spain, “is already transforming lives,” and that in 2025 it benefited more than 24,000 displaced people through projects implemented throughout the region.
During the meeting, Costa Rica – which held the temporary presidency of the initiative – transferred the mandate to El Salvador, which will lead the mechanism during 2026.
The MIRPS constitutes a direct contribution to the Global Compact on Refugeesin line with international efforts to alleviate migratory pressure in countries of origin, transit and destination, in a context in which humanitarian crises and irregular flows continue to increase on the continent.
