The History and Present of Human Trafficking on Mexico's Southern Border: An Intersectional Perspective

Chiapas is the southern border that divides the states of Mexico and Guatemala. The introduction of capitalism to this region since the mid-nineteenth century has made this border region a destination for migrant labour, mainly from China. Today, it has become an area of recruitment, destination and passage for victims of human trafficking, both nationals and foreigners. In the nineteenth century, the mobility of foreign immigrants was mainly of young men to build the railway route and work in the coffee and rubber plantations, among others. The current situation is one of trafficking in women, children and adolescents. In this paper we are interested in exploring the condition of border territory, as its situation requires an intersectional analysis of the social and criminal processes that occur or pass through the border areas between these two precarious nations.