An investigation by the Federal Police found that a 21-year-old Brazilian who died last year when he became ill while trying to cross the border between Mexico and the United States irregularly was abandoned by a “coyote” who followed his journey with other migrants.
The body was found on April 19, six days after the failed attempt.
The family of Ayron Henrickson Fernandes Gonçalves, however, only discovered the outcome of the story five months after his death, informed through the father of one of the young people who participated in the crossing with Gonçalves. A Mexican woman also got in touch to say that the body was in a unit of the Mexican medical forensic service.
The two contacted Gonçalves’ relatives in September last year, when they saw the campaign on social networks looking for the young man from Governador Valadares (MG). His parents had hired a lawyer to help with the search.
Gonçalves was not the only Brazilian to lose his life in this way. Such as Sheet showed, since 2020 at least eight Brazilians have died trying to make the crossing – one of the best known cases was that of Lenilda dos Santos, which took place almost a year ago. There are also reports of kidnappings, rapes, extortion and abandonment along the way.
According to the PF investigation, the young man took a plane on April 10, 2021 in Rio de Janeiro bound for Mexico. He headed to Mexicali, capital of the Mexican state of Baja California, on the US border. The crossing started on the 13th, using the scheme known as cai-cai. In this modality, the migrant, usually accompanied by a minor first-degree relative, surrenders to the American authorities and is authorized to respond to the process in freedom.
There are also those who surrender alone to US agents to make a formal asylum application. In this case, it is common for those responsible for promoting irregular migration to teach “customers” tactics to convince the authorities. Entering the country illegally is considered a crime under US law — under Brazilian law, irregular migration itself is not illegal.
“I’m still in Mexicali. We’re going to cross today, when I’m going to cross I’ll tell you. I’m fine, yes, thank God”, said the Brazilian, in the last audio recorded for his mother, Beatriz Silva Fernandes Gonçalves. The message was sent on April 13, 2021.
According to the investigation, Gonçalves did not reach American territory. He died while still in Mexico from acute respiratory failure caused by pulmonary edema. “During the dry border crossing in the desert from Mexico to the US, Ayron died on the way, being later abandoned by the ‘coyotes'”, says the PF in the investigation.
Beatriz reported to Sheet that the son was buried as a pauper in Mexicali. Confirmation that the body was his was made by photography. According to her, the people in Governador Valadares who provided for the migration, selling Gonçalves the airline tickets and organizing the crossing, omitted the information about the death — even though she had gone to the store of one of them several times.
According to the investigation, Erlon Gomes da Silva, one of those responsible for organizing the migration of Gonçalves, was already aware of the death. According to the investigation, he chose to lie to the young man’s family, informing them that he would be detained and that the situation was being monitored.
“It’s very sad because, if they had spoken during the period of death, it would have hurt, but I would have managed to bring the body to Brazil. I would have the right to watch over my son. , there is no news”, he says. Beatriz tries to have access to the original death certificate to regularize the bureaucratic procedures in Brazil.
The young man’s intention, according to his parents, was to get a job in the US to improve his and his family’s living conditions. Gonçalves left Brazil accompanied by two more friends, who finally managed to complete the crossing, made with a group of approximately 30 people.
Three people were responsible for the migration from Gonçalves, according to the PF inquiry. Erlon Gomes da Silva is accused of being responsible for buying the tickets, receiving the money, arranging the trip and planning the crossing. He charged R$ 14 thousand for the service.
“With Ayron’s death confirmed, Erlon would have tried to flee to the United States, entering illegally through the Mexican border. According to the screen of the international traffic system, a recent trip to Colombia is observed, but he would have been inadmissible. It is also verified that Erlon had a booking for flight LA8112 [com destino à Cidade do México] on September 22, 2021”, the survey shows.
The police said that two more people participated: David Gonçalves dos Santos and Evânio ParaÃso Pires. The first was responsible for enticing people in Brazil. Evânio, on the other hand, resided in Mexico and would be the articulator of the criminal scheme, which planned the logistical scheme and the necessary structure for the crossing.
The investigation began after testimonies by Gonçalves’ family members to the PF. According to investigations, Erlon was responsible for the crossing of more than 200 people, including minors. David participated in the migration of at least three adults and one child. Evânio was responsible for two adults and a child.
In the Governador Valadares region, most people leave life in Brazil behind in search of opportunities in the US. Thus, cities lose population and labor.
