New caravan of migrants leaves southern Mexico due to lack of employment and security

Some 1,000 migrants left Tapachula, Chiapas, on the southern border of Mexico, on Sunday in a new caravan called “God Guides Us,” bound for Mexico City, due to the delay in CBP One appointments, lack of employment, the difficult economic situation, insecurity and violence.

The group of undocumented immigrants, mostly from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Central America, Haiti, Argentina, Panama, Costa Rica, Afghanistan, Nepal and other countries, walk with the hope of being heard by the Mexican government, headed by Claudia Sheinbaum.

Álvaro Batista, a Colombian migrant traveling with his family, has faced numerous obstacles on his way to the southern border and joined this caravan to cross Mexico and reach the border with the United States. “What we are doing is not illegal. We want the National Guard to make our way easier, we would appreciate it. It is better to travel in a group, especially for women and children,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jeison, a Venezuelan migrant, asked for support from the health sector, mentioning that there are many women and children in the caravan who have left their countries due to lack of work and the high cost of living. “That is why we ask that they guide us to Mexico City, where we want to go until we have our appointment with ‘CBP One,’” he added.

This is the second caravan of migrants that leaves this region towards the capital, demanding employment, security and humane conditions during their transit through Mexico. The group is guarded by state traffic officers and municipal police to prevent accidents on federal highway 200.

In addition, many migrants expressed their fear of dying of hunger in the streets, since there are children who can barely eat a piece of toast a day. They requested humanitarian support, since Tapachula is becoming saturated with migrants who wander without economic support.

Although the Mexican government reported that daily detentions of migrants at the border with the United States fell by nearly 66% from December to September, irregular migration increased by 193% year-on-year in the first half of the year, exceeding 712,000 people, according to the Migration Policy Unit.

Written by: Oscar El Blue

New caravan of migrants leaves southern Mexico due to lack of employment and security