The head of the Red Cross in Mexico condemned the use of his organization’s symbol by criminal groups trafficking illegal migrants in fake ambulances.
Some 100 undocumented migrants were caught by federal forces in the south Mexican state of Oaxaca on Thursday, traveling in a vehicle with Red Cross markings.
Organization head Daniel Goñi spoke out in a press conference against the misuse of the organization’s logo, saying that it put the lives of civilians and aid workers at risk.
The Geneva Conventions forbid the misuse of the Red Cross logo, because it is used to protect medical workers in areas of armed conflict.
Mexican criminal organizations have a history of disguising themselves as officials, for example with the use of fake police uniforms by some drug trafficking organizations, as InSight Crime has noted.
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