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Honduran migrant caravan crosses into Mexico through river Honduran refugee caravan crosses into Mexico through river
(35 minutes later)
About 2,000 Central Americans trying to reach the US in a “migrant caravan” have swam or rafted across a river separating Guatemala from Mexico, defying Mexican efforts to stop them at the border.About 2,000 Central Americans trying to reach the US in a “migrant caravan” have swam or rafted across a river separating Guatemala from Mexico, defying Mexican efforts to stop them at the border.
The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to come join them. The refugees, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to join them.
“We are going to reach the United States,” said Erasmo Duarte, from Danlí, Honduras, despite warnings to turn back this week from US president Donald Trump, who has sought to make the caravan and border security into a campaign issue before the US midterm election in November. “We are going to reach the United States,” said Erasmo Duarte, from Danlí, Honduras, despite warnings to turn back this week from the US president, Donald Trump, who has sought to make the caravan and border security into a campaign issue before the US midterm election in November.
The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. The decision to re-form the caravan came on the day that Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to refugees on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants.
But many became impatient and circumvented the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. Some paid locals the equivalent of $US1.25 to ferry them across the muddy waters. They were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank.But many became impatient and circumvented the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. Some paid locals the equivalent of $US1.25 to ferry them across the muddy waters. They were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank.
“We couldn’t wait because we had already waited too long and they only told us lies,” said Duarte, who joined the caravan with his wife and children six days ago.“We couldn’t wait because we had already waited too long and they only told us lies,” said Duarte, who joined the caravan with his wife and children six days ago.
Sairy Bueso, a 24-year-old Honduran mother of two, was another migrant who abandoned the bridge and crossed into Mexico via the river. She clutched her two-year-old daughter Dayani, who had recently had a heart operation, as she got off a raft. Sairy Bueso, a 24-year-old Honduran mother of two, was another refugee who abandoned the bridge and crossed into Mexico via the river. She clutched her two-year-old daughter Dayani, who had recently had a heart operation, as she got off a raft.
“The girl suffered greatly because of all the people” crowded on the bridge, Bueso said. “There are risks that we must take for the good of our children.”“The girl suffered greatly because of all the people” crowded on the bridge, Bueso said. “There are risks that we must take for the good of our children.”
Group leaders said the caravan, which will be smaller than the original one, would strike out Sunday morning for the city of Tapachula.Group leaders said the caravan, which will be smaller than the original one, would strike out Sunday morning for the city of Tapachula.
Where easily 3,000 people were on the bridge the previous day, the crowd had thinned out considerably by Saturday. In addition to those who crossed the river, immigration agents processed people in small groups and then bussed them to an open-air, metal-roof fairground in Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor. Whereas at least 3,000 people were on the bridge the previous day, the crowd had thinned out considerably by Saturday. In addition to those who crossed the river, immigration agents processed people in small groups and bussed them to an open-air, metal-roof fairground in Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor.
Each time a small side gate opened to allow people to pass for processing, there was a crush of bodies as migrants desperately pushed forward. Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd, crying out: “This girl is suffocating.” Each time a small side gate opened to allow people to pass for processing, there was a crush of bodies as refugees desperately pushed forward. Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd, crying out: “This girl is suffocating.”
Cruz, 20, said she was going to ask for political asylum because of threats and repression she faced back in Honduras from President Juan Orlando Hernández’s governing party. Cruz, 20, said she was going to ask for political asylum because of threats and repression she faced in Honduras from President Juan Orlando Hernández’s governing party.
People in the caravan cited widespread poverty and gang violence in Honduras, one of the world’s deadliest nations by homicide rate, as their reasons for joining the caravan.People in the caravan cited widespread poverty and gang violence in Honduras, one of the world’s deadliest nations by homicide rate, as their reasons for joining the caravan.
“One cannot live back there,” said Fidelina Vasquez, a grandmother traveling with her daughter and two-year-old grandson, standing next to the main border gate.“One cannot live back there,” said Fidelina Vasquez, a grandmother traveling with her daughter and two-year-old grandson, standing next to the main border gate.
The caravan elicited a series of angry tweets and warnings from Trump early in the week, but Mexico’s handling of the situation at its southern border seems to have satisfied him more recently.The caravan elicited a series of angry tweets and warnings from Trump early in the week, but Mexico’s handling of the situation at its southern border seems to have satisfied him more recently.
“So, as of this moment, I thank Mexico,” Trump said on Friday at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona. “I hope they continue. If that doesn’t work out, we’re calling up the military — not the Guard. “So, as of this moment, I thank Mexico,” Trump said on Friday at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona. “I hope they continue. If that doesn’t work out, we’re calling up the military — not the [National] Guard. They’re not coming into this country.”
“They’re not coming into this country,” Trump added. Refugees
HondurasHonduras
AmericasAmericas
MexicoMexico
US immigrationUS immigration
GuatemalaGuatemala
Donald Trump
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