At least a thousand migrants was organized again this Monday in the south of Mexico in a caravan heading to USAafter accusing local authorities of failing to fulfill their promises to grant them permits to travel through the country.
Behind a huge blanket that says “Exodus from poverty” and shouting “We are not criminals! We are international workers!”, the foreigners without papers resumed their march in the state of Chiapas (south), border with Guatemalaleaving the town of Arriaga at dawn.
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These migrants had launched a caravan of thousands of people on December 24 from Chiapas, determined to reach USA to request refuge for humanitarian reasons.
Migrants participate in a caravan towards the border with the United States in the community of Arriaga, Chiapas state, Mexico, on January 8, 2024. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
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But the column dispersed on January 2, after immigration authorities promised to meet their demands, among them granting them safe passage to be able to travel through Mexico.
“They did not comply, they left them in some shelters (…) they separated families and caused serious problems“he told the press Luis García Villagranfrom the AC Human Dignification Center and who accompanies the march.
The group is made up of entire families, mostly of Venezuelan origin and numerous Central Americans. Some children carried toys in their hands.
“Immigration lied to us, they promised something when they didn’t keep it, they just wanted to break up the group, but they were wrong because we are all here and we are going to walk“said the Salvadoran Rosa Vasquez.
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The migrants have reported that the shelters charged them about $25 and stole some of their belongings.
With more than 3,000 km of border with the United States, Mexico is a transit and retention country for migrants, mainly from countries of Central America plagued by violence or poverty (Honduras, Guatemala, The Savior), from the Caribbean (Haiti, Cuba) or Venezuelawhich clash with the restrictive policies of the United States.
Migrations to the United States reached a record number last year. According to the US Border Patrol, between October 2022 and September 2023, 2.4 million migrant entries were recorded across the southern border of the United States, a record.
:quality(75)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/elcomercio/bfae97da-fc74-4b90-9b2e-5ef724f1d3fc.jpg "Migrants reorganize caravan and advance from southern Mexico 1")
