UNHCR Faces Closure of Four Offices Amid Funding Crisis in Mexico

The UNHCR in Mexico is closing four offices, including those in Palenque and Tenosique, and has laid off 190 employees due to severe funding shortages. The crisis is partly attributed to the U.S. funding freeze under President Trump.

The United Nations refugee agency is set to shutter four of its offices across Mexico, Reuters learned on April 29, as it contends with a severe funding crisis. An official from the agency disclosed that this decision stems from these financial constraints.

The southern cities of Palenque and Tenosique, located near the Guatemalan border, are among the affected areas. As a result, approximately 190 employees have been laid off, highlighting the dire situation faced by the UNHCR in Mexico.

The financial crisis is closely linked to a U.S. funding freeze implemented under former President Donald Trump's administration, which has severely impacted the agency’s operations in Mexico.