Thousands of Migrants Start Caravan Towards the USA

Thousands of migrants have embarked on a journey of over 3,000 kilometers on foot in southern Mexico towards the USA. They criticize the long waiting times for processing their US visa applications.

Several thousand migrants have joined a caravan in southern Mexico to walk towards the USA. Local media reported that the police counted around 5,000 people, mainly from Honduras, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Many women with young children were among them. They started their journey from Tapachula in the state of Chiapas, which is near the border with Guatemala.

Frustration over US visas

Accompanied by police and ambulances, the migrants were traveling along a coastal road and planned to spend the night in the community of Huehuetan, about 25 kilometers north of their starting point.

Irineo Mujica from the organization Pueblo Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders) said that the people decided to leave Tapachula out of frustration for not being able to obtain US visas. She criticized the Mexican government for irresponsibly wanting to detain them in Tapachula. Many migrants were living on the streets.

At the front of the procession, participants carried a white cross and a banner demanding humanitarian visas. They complained that the processing of their applications in Tapachula took months and that they were not allowed to work.

Pressure on US-Biden on the migrant issue

This development may be inconvenient for US President Joe Biden. He seeks re-election next year and is under pressure to reduce the number of illegal immigrants.

Mexico is located on the migration route for people trying to reach the USA. They are fleeing poverty, violence, and political crises in their home countries. In recent years, migrants in the region have increasingly formed groups for protection against violence and deportation, but these groups often dissolve after some time.