A huge caravan of Honduran migrants went through southern Mexico on Sunday, attempting to circumvent Mexican authorities who had halted them at the Guatemalan border and head north towards the United States. Their number has now risen to 5,000 people.
Hundreds of Mexicans offered food, water, and clothes at every turn. Hundreds of locals on pickups, vans, and freight trucks stopped to let them climb aboard.
They have stated that they are fleeing widespread poverty, vilence and corruption in Honduras in numerous interviews along the way.
U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Mexico for its previous no-nonsense response to police at a southern border crossing who pushed back the migrants with pepper spray and riot shields, but he again slammed Democratic Party rivals over this issue for Republicans less than two weeks before midterm elections.
“The Caravans are a total disgrace to the Democratic party,” Trump tweeted. “Change immigration laws NOW!”
“We must make every effort to prevent the flood of illegal immigrants from crossing our Southern (sic) Border,” he added in another tweet. “People must initially apply for asylum in Mexico if they do not qualify under Mexican law. If they fail to do so, the United States will refuse them entry.”
Hundreds of people in the caravan went to Mexico’s southern city of Ciudad Hidalgo and applied for refugee status.
But a much larger number forded the Suchiate River individually and in groups, alternating with daylight walks across the border. They resumed their journey at first light, walking ten abreast on the highway.
“Si se pudo!” they yelled in Spanish — “Yes, we could!”
“The crowd swelled even larger than when the migrants came to the border bridge on Friday, swelling to 5,000 or so overnight.”
It was unclear where the extra travelers came from because around 2,000 had gathered on the Mexican side of the border Saturday night. However, people have been coming to the caravan on a daily basis, some walking at their own speeds while others are strung out in a line of columns.
