Mexico: Caravan of thousands of migrants stops and surrenders to authorities in Chiapas

The caravan of thousands migrantswho left on Christmas Eve 2023 from Tapachulasouthern border of Mexicocame to an end this Tuesday after having advanced around 105 kilometers and having surrendered to police officers National Migration Institute (INM) in the municipality of Mapastepecstate of Chiapas.

After nine days of marching, the huge group of migrants agreed to board the city buses. INM be able to complete an immigration process on the premises of the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF), located approximately 50 kilometers from Mapastepecnext to customs Huixtla.

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Before boarding the buses, immigration agents invited us to voluntarily board the vehicles, giving priority to children, mothers, women and vulnerable people.

Migrants finish their caravan heading to the United States, in the municipality of Mapastepec, state of Chiapas, Mexico, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by Juan Manuel Blanco/EFE)

“We invite you and those who wish to voluntarily board the buses that INM provides to transport them.”, declared the agents.

Some migrants The men traveling alone initially refused to be transferred because they wanted to continue walking towards Pijijiapannot to return to Huixtla, about 50 kilometers away Tapachula.

Luis Rey García Villagranactivist Center for Human Dignity (CDH), which accompanies this exodus, informed that they will go through a process and will be taken to the Mexico City.

García Villagrán informed the thousands of migrants on Sunday that the Government of MexicoFrom Tuesday onwards, the process for regular stay in the country would begin.

“In the caravan there are many sick children, pregnant women, people with disabilities“Villagrán told the migrants and warned them that the next point”It is 43 kilometers away, it is Pijijiapan and there is no place to rest and it would be about 18 hours walking, the decision is yours.”.

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The Honduran migrant Wilnber Abisaiwho is traveling with his wife and two minor children, agreed to board the immigration bus because he said he was interested in going to Mexico City and being in the country legally.

Migrants board a bus from the National Migration Institute (INM) after ending a caravan bound for the United States, in the municipality of Mapastepec, state of Chiapas, Mexico, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by Juan Manuel Blanco/EFE)

“Yes, we are going to do the process, because we are interested in being legally in Mexico, we have already walked a lot, we have suffered, our feet hurt, walking 48 kilometers is not easy, we accept the INM’s proposal to do the process and so on. continue our path, it’s the best option“, he told EFE.

Another of the migrants, the Honduran William Adalí Romeo Pérezaccepted the proposal from the Mexican authorities, because they will conduct the process before the DIFHowever, he rejected that they are surrendering migration.

“I’m going for my family, that’s why I do this, but here nobody gives themselves up, I’m going with my son, my wife and two girls, we trust Immigration but in God, the children are already tired and we can’t keep walking anymore“, He explained.

As of this evening, more than 600 migrants have agreed to board around 12 buses, as authorities continue to organize families to be transported.

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The caravan of the so-called exodus from poverty prepared itself from 06:00 local time (12:00 GMT) to wait for the buses, but it was only at 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) that the first group of 50 remaining people arrived.

The caravan of thousands of migrants, which left Mexico’s southern border as the largest of 2023, passed through part of the state of Chiapasin which historical numbers of people seeking to enter U.S on the border with Mexico.

O Protection of United States Customs and Borders (CBP) last week confirmed the arrival of more than 2.2 million migrants from January to November last year.

Source: Elcomercio