MEXICO CITY, Oct. 22 -- Representatives of 11 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean met on Sunday in Palenque, a city in the Mexican southern state of Chiapas, to find a comprehensive solution to the migration crisis facing the region.

Called by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the meeting is attended by leaders including Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel as well as ministers of Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Panama.

As the host, Mexico expects the summit to lay the groundwork for addressing the causes of human mobility such as poverty, inequality, lack of job opportunities and the negative effects of climate change among vulnerable populations, as well as external unilateral measures.

Chiapas, the venue of the meeting, is an entry point for thousands of migrants who come mainly from Central and South America and the Caribbean with the intent to reach the United States, where they believe they will find better opportunities.

Despite the risks, they venture through Mexico, only to be met with more obstacles of extreme U.S. border control measures, such as increased expedited removals and the expansion of Title 42 restrictions, under which they are returned over the border and denied the right to seek asylum.