This article estimates the impact of violence on emigration crossings from
Guatemala to Mexico as final destination during 2009-2017. To identify causal
effects, we use as instruments the variation in deforestation in Guatemala, and
the seizing of cocaine in Colombia. We argue that criminal organizations
deforest land in Guatemala, fueling violence and leading to emigration,
particularly during exogenous supply shocks to cocaine. A one-point increase in
the homicide rate differential between Guatemalan municipalities and Mexico,
leads to 211 additional emigration crossings made by male adults. This rise in
violence, also leads to 20 extra emigration crossings made by children