Migrant caravan halted on Mexico-Guatemala border, pressure to turn back mounts

By Delphine Schrank

 

 

TECUN UMAN, Guatemala (Reuters) - Hundreds of people in a caravan of migrants that crossed from Honduras into Guatemala tried unsuccessfully to breach the Mexican border on Friday, as local governments began making preparations to disperse the convoy.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned the Central American caravan must be stopped before it reaches the United States, and Honduras and Guatemala said late on Friday they were mobilizing to assist the return of Honduran migrants to their homeland.

 

Earlier, hundreds of Central Americans in the caravan of thousands poured through Guatemalan border posts in the town of Tecun Uman and onto a bridge leading to Mexico, only to be halted by dozens of Mexican police in riot gear.

 

Some migrants violently shook fences at the border. A handful jumped into the Suchiate River below to swim for rafts. Others turned back toward Guatemala from the border of Mexico, whose government vowed to help tackle the caravan.

 

Carrying backpacks and small children, many bedraggled migrants simply sat down on the bridge. Some said that they had been teargassed. As the afternoon drew on, a tropical storm, Vicente, formed nearby off the Pacific coast.

 

Jose Brian Guerrero, a 24-year-old Honduran traveling with neighbors and his extended family, said he had joined the caravan to escape violent street gangs, and to find work.

 

"There's nothing for us in our country," said Guerrero, who used to sell beans in Honduras.

 

On Friday evening, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said he had spoken to his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales for clearance to send civil protection personnel to help the Hondurans and to find transport for those wanting to return.

 

"We'll continue this operation for as long as is necessary," Hernandez said in a post on Twitter.

 

Shortly afterwards, Guatemala's government tweeted that Hernandez would meet Morales on Saturday in Guatemala City to implement a strategy for returning the Honduran migrants.

 

A similar caravan of Central Americans that formed in southern Mexico in late March also drew the ire of Trump, who on Thursday threatened to use the military and close the southern border if Mexico did not halt the new march.

 

Such a move would cause chaos on the crossing, one of the world's busiest, and badly disrupt trade.

 

Speaking in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, Trump said he "appreciated very much" Mexico's efforts to stop the caravan.

"If that doesn't work out, we're calling up the military - not the (National) Guard - we're calling up the military," he told reporters. "They're not coming into this country."

 

Trump has also threatened to cut off aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if they fail to prevent undocumented immigrants from heading to the United States.

 

Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are among the poorest and most violent countries in the Americas. Their emigrants make up the bulk of people now caught trying to enter the United States illegally every year.

 

Several migrants at the Guatemala-Mexico border spoke of entire neighborhoods leaving their homes to join the trek after news circulated on social media of a call for a new "caravan" to Mexico six months after the previous one.

 

U.N. ASSISTANCE

 

Earlier, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Mexico City and discussed the caravan, which set off from Honduras last weekend.

 

"It's a challenge that Mexico is facing, and that's how I expressed it to Secretary Pompeo," Videgaray told a joint news conference.

 

Pompeo said he and Videgaray spoke of the importance of stopping the caravan before it reaches the U.S. border.

 

In contrast to the earlier caravan, which had advanced into Mexico before officials began intensive efforts to process the migrants, the Mexican government turned its attention to the new group right on its southern border.

 

Mexico's government has sought assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). As Mexico processes the migrants, the caravan will likely slowly disperse.

 

On Friday morning, Videgaray said the caravan had close to 4,000 people and that the migrants could individually present their claims to enter Mexico or seek refugee status.

 

"We haven't had a caravan or group of this size seeking refuge at the same time, that's why we've sought the support of the United Nations," he told Mexican television.

 

Mexico says the migrants without a legitimate case to claim refuge in Mexico will be returned to their countries of origin. A Mexican official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the country had the capacity to process around 200 people a day.

 

POLICE WAITING

 

Hundreds of Mexican police were sent to guard the border between the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman and Ciudad Hidalgo in Mexico to prepare for the migrant caravan's arrival.

 

Manelich Castilla, the head of Mexico's federal police, said at the scene that his officers had restored order after the rush of migrants towards the border, and would begin allowing people to be processed in an orderly fashion.

Six police had been injured, Castilla said.

 

UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said the agency was reinforcing capacity in southern Mexico to offer counseling, legal assistance and humanitarian aid to asylum-seekers.

 

"UNHCR is concerned that the mobilization of such a large number of people in a single group will overwhelm the capacities that exist in the region," he told a news conference.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-20

They leave their country because it is a hell hole. Whats to say they will not make the neighbourhoods they move into in America hell holes.  You can take the man out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the man.

   Also  their way of getting to America is by force not a good start I would say. Once in they use force for every thing they want .It worked once they will go with what works. They are used to violence. So they will do what they are accustom to doing and handle things the way do back in Honduras.

  What country in their right mind want people like that?

Edited October 20, 20187 yr by lovelomsak

"They leave their country because it is a hell hole. Whats to say they will not make the neighbourhoods they move into in America hell holes."

The gangs and criminals are making money in those hell holes, so no reason to leave.

Immigrants have lower crime rate than native born in USA. America has done a bang up job making it's own hell holes, thank you very much

Do not give up - keep going and test the resolve of Trump!

If I was  the president I would state because they are organized and attempting to enter America they are attacking America as a united force and if they cross the border shoot them. Like a soldier  trying to invade the country. No need to be polite.

27 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

If I was  the president I would state because they are organized and attempting to enter America they are attacking America as a united force and if they cross the border shoot them. Like a soldier  trying to invade the country. No need to be polite.

 Yes indeed, the optics of shooting poor families at the border would do miracles for the republican prospects of holding on to congress.

 

Can you spel , Articles of impeachment?

Edited October 20, 20187 yr by sirineou

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 Yes indeed, the optics of shooting poor families at the border would do miracles the republican prospects of holding on to congress.

The latest Fox News poll shows  disapproval of Trump's immigration policies as they stand now.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-results-10-17

6 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

The latest Fox News poll shows  disapproval of Trump's immigration policies as they stand now.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-results-10-17

Immigration policy options  run the spectrum from do nothing, to shooting them at the border. With many sensible options somewhere in the middle. I don't think any extremes will do any good, for anyone's polls regardless of political affiliation. 

Who is funding these caravans?

 

4 minutes ago, champers said:

Who is funding these caravans?

 

Thank you

I wanted to ask the same question but felt it to be too cynical. 

Why the caravan, why now? I wonder if anyone is looking at this issue .

I get the economic and the violence issues in these countries, but these issues did not just happen, they have being there for a long time,  So why the caravan just before the midterms? 

The problem is these people(not refugees) is they do not stand up to the corrupt Governments that run their countries. They allow these parasites that prey on the people rule by thuggery 

and create a class war for personal power and gain. (which is what Trump is doing to the USA) They need to use this group power to stand up to their governments rather than running to another country and not facing the issues that are F....ing their home land.

1 hour ago, Paul Henry said:

The problem is these people(not refugees) is they do not stand up to the corrupt Governments that run their countries. They allow these parasites that prey on the people rule by thuggery 

and create a class war for personal power and gain. (which is what Trump is doing to the USA) They need to use this group power to stand up to their governments rather than running to another country and not facing the issues that are F....ing their home land.

Actually, they have often stood up to their corrupt governments, usually run by the military.. Generally those rulers with the assistance of the USA have brutally suppressed resistance.

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

Thank you

I wanted to ask the same question but felt it to be too cynical. 

Why the caravan, why now? I wonder if anyone is looking at this issue .

I get the economic and the violence issues in these countries, but these issues did not just happen, they have being there for a long time,  So why the caravan just before the midterms? 

This isn't the first caravan so I don't see what your point is re: "but these issues did not just happen, they have being there for a long time,"

2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

This isn't the first caravan so I don't see what your point is re: "but these issues did not just happen, they have being there for a long time,"

I know there was one about a year ago, but I wonder how they happen, do they occur spontaneously? or are they organised ? overtly  or covertly

Not to the extend where people are actively recruited, but to the extend where they are encouraged by spreading false rumors.

 And I am not ascribing blame, It could be the republicans to create an emergency and motivate the base or  the democrats to shame Trump and motivate their base.

  Don't think agent provocateurs don't exist. or that political operatives are above such behaviour. I wouldn't put it above either parties. It just feels funny to me that this would occur as early voting just started and  general voting a couple of weeks away.

dont give up, walk to US to show trump  what humanity is!

It's an invasion, plain and simple. Defend the U.S. border as you would any other invasion.

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

19 minutes ago, howbri said:

It's an invasion, plain and simple. Defend the U.S. border as you would any other invasion.

Yes, clearly this is an organized military operation to overrun the the lettuce fields in California and the chicken plucking facilities in Arkansas. Next thing you know, in major cities they'll be found in buildings where they'll be sweeping the hallways. 

 

Edited October 20, 20187 yr by bristolboy

9 hours ago, sirineou said:

I know there was one about a year ago, but I wonder how they happen, do they occur spontaneously? or are they organised ? overtly  or covertly

Not to the extend where people are actively recruited, but to the extend where they are encouraged by spreading false rumors.

 And I am not ascribing blame, It could be the republicans to create an emergency and motivate the base or  the democrats to shame Trump and motivate their base.

  Don't think agent provocateurs don't exist. or that political operatives are above such behaviour. I wouldn't put it above either parties. It just feels funny to me that this would occur as early voting just started and  general voting a couple of weeks away.

If you were to ask Trump the question of who is behind the caravan and this particular timing, my guess is that he would blame the Democrats. He would probably claim to have proof but would never support that claim.

He would say that the Democrats are just trying to make him look bad.

(no need to, he does a good job of that himself)

Ok I will try again #1 border crossings are at there lowest point since the early 70s #2 the migrants travel in convoys for protection from rape and robbery yes they are fleeing violence and economics in their home country’s the USA was once known for the marshal plan the peace core Doctors Without Borders.when I hear people advocate violence on women and children for fleeing violence it tends to piss me off it is not an invasion no matter what that orange baby says 

On 10/20/2018 at 10:35 AM, lovelomsak said:

They leave their country because it is a hell hole. Whats to say they will not make the neighbourhoods they move into in America hell holes.  You can take the man out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the man.

   Also  their way of getting to America is by force not a good start I would say. Once in they use force for every thing they want .It worked once they will go with what works. They are used to violence. So they will do what they are accustom to doing and handle things the way do back in Honduras.

  What country in their right mind want people like that?

The force aren't waving American Flag's,that's for sure!  The UN are screening them  in Mexico! That's good!If they can weed out the real asylum seekers ,hopefully 5% it would be a good humanitarian deed.All those billions of dollars America sends to these countries! Sad

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/the-latest-mexican-migrant-activist-detained-on-border/2018/10/18/ec44fa9c-d333-11e8-a4db-184311d27129_story.html?utm_term=.d995cd1914f0

14 hours ago, sirineou said:

how they happen, do they occur spontaneously? or are they organised ? overtly  or covertly

same fashion as a flashmob. FB is commonly used to organize such events

1 hour ago, Tug said:

when I hear people advocate violence on women and children for fleeing violence it tends to piss me off it is not an invasion no matter what that orange baby says 

It's becoming a sad and alarming trend these days to use women and children as a means of pursuing political and/or ideological agendas. In fact, they are being taken advantage of by those who instigated that caravan, like, hiding behind their backs.

3 hours ago, Tug said:

when I hear people advocate violence on women and children for fleeing violence it tends to piss me off it is not an invasion no matter what that orange baby says 

When i read about women and children being brought to America this way and used as shields for strong young men it makes tends to piss me off. Men of no value just scum.

I fell now it has been stopped and some are going home that there should be help offered. 

  Anyone who voluntarily returns home gets their personal data recorded and if they wish to apply for entry in a civilized form as in the proper way then when they apply they will be given special interest and assistance. Not fast tracked but given special consideration.

Troll post removed.

8 hours ago, Tug said:

Ok I will try again #1 border crossings are at there lowest point since the early 70s #2 the migrants travel in convoys for protection from rape and robbery yes they are fleeing violence and economics in their home country’s the USA was once known for the marshal plan the peace core Doctors Without Borders.when I hear people advocate violence on women and children for fleeing violence it tends to piss me off it is not an invasion no matter what that orange baby says 

But it's an emergency! If we don't stop them now, thanks to declining birth rates there will be less and less crossing in the future! If we don't hurry, we may never have the opportunity to vent about them.

Latest on the news, from UK, is that the Mexican police just gave up and let them through so they are on the way to the US border.