Caravan migrants rest in Mexico City, some deterred by U.S. hostility

By Delphine Schrank

 

Migrants, part of a caravan traveling en route to the United States, rest in a public square in Tapanatepec, Mexico November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

 

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Thousands of mostly Honduran migrants travelling through Mexico gathered in the capital on Tuesday after a 1,000 mile (1,600 km) journey, with a handful saying President Donald Trump's hostility had deterred them from continuing to the United States.

 

Officials estimated 4,500 migrants were camped in a Mexico City sports stadium, dirty and exhausted after a journey through the violence-plagued state of Veracruz this week.

 

While most in the caravan are still planning to reach the United States, several in the crowd told Reuters they were now considering alternative destinations.

 

The caravan has incurred Trump's wrath ahead of Tuesday's U.S. congressional elections. As they try to hang on to control of Congress, Republican candidates have been following Trump's lead and using rhetoric about immigrants as a tactic to motivate voters.

 

Trump has ordered 7,000 troops to the border, while a commercial approved by his campaign that linked the caravan to crime was pulled by U.S. networks on Monday.

 

"Mexico," said Franklin Martinez, 46, a maintenance man from Intibuca, Honduras, when asked about his final destination. "I'll stay here if they let me work."

 

Like Martinez, five others at the stadium said they were now less sure about trying their luck in the United States.

 

"Canada," said two Hondurans, Marel Santos, 18, and Alexander Chavez, 19, of their intended destination, citing Trump's angry response to the caravan.

 

The pair, who met in the caravan, stood waiting for food in a line that snaked around the stadium. Bedraggled men, women and children had bedded down in the sports arena on Monday night, bundled in blankets or donated sweaters to face the mountain capital's chill.

 

While many at the stadium were unaware of the U.S. congressional elections and their unwitting role in some campaigning, news spread to others by word of mouth and reports seen on phones.

 

Martinez said he was rooting for a victory from the Democrats, who are seeking to wrest control of the House of Representatives and Senate from the Republicans.

 

"Here's hoping the Republicans lose," said Martinez, who said such a result could improve the political climate in the United States, and could convince him to restart his trek north.

 

"The Republicans are very anti-immigrant, the majority of them."

 

"WE FEEL GOOD"

Their arrival in the Mexican capital was a measure of the migrants' tenacity despite attempts by four governments - Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States - to break them up.

 

Mexico City's human rights ombudsman said some 4,500 migrants had arrived at the stadium by Tuesday morning, although around 6,500 have left the caravan and returned home to Honduras, according to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

 

To have made it to the capital was "a success," said Arnold Gomez, 30, a security guard from Honduras. "It's a city many of us hoped to see ... We feel good. Good, good."

 

Since it set off from one of the world's most violent cities, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Oct. 13, the caravan has met intermittent police resistance at the Honduran border with Guatemala, on a bridge connecting Guatemala to Mexico, and at the crossing point between the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

 

Over the weekend, an offer of transport from local authorities in the town of Sayula, Veracruz, was revoked at the last minute, leaving migrants forced to hitch-hike onward through drug-cartel territory, according to migrants and witnesses from nonprofit organizations that Reuters spoke to.

 

Some former members of the caravan said they were deported back to Honduras after it fragmented into smaller groups in southern Mexico.

 

"It's the end of my American dream," said Dimas Alexander, 33, a construction worker, speaking by telephone from his home in La Ceiba, Honduras.

 

He said Mexican immigration authorities had stopped him, along with about 150 others, on Saturday morning aboard two truck trailers headed to Mexico City.

 

Mexico's interior ministry denied the government was deporting caravan members. It said 478 of them had voluntarily agreed to return home.

 

(Reporting by Delphine Schrank, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-07

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

"Canada," said two Hondurans, Marel Santos, 18, and Alexander Chavez, 19, of their intended destination, citing Trump's angry response to the caravan.

am sure Canada will be thrilled; and how, praytell, are they supposed to get to canada   ? with a trump-provided escort thru the usa ?

"As they try to hang on to control of Congress"........brace yourselves. You think 2016 was upsetting?. This is gunna really hurt ????

The militias are going to have a field day if they get through. Open season on them.

2 hours ago, Longcut said:

The militias are going to have a field day if they get through. Open season on them.

Agreed.

That's another good reason to send troops to the border in a show of strength.

Deter illegals from coming in and keep the militias under control at the same time.

1 hour ago, JingerBen said:

Agreed.

That's another good reason to send troops to the border in a show of strength.

Deter illegals from coming in and keep the militias under control at the same time.

U.S. troops can do nothing toward U.S. citizens.

Posse Comitatus Act

4 hours ago, Longcut said:

U.S. troops can do nothing toward U.S. citizens.

Posse Comitatus Act

That's true, but their very presence would discourage acts of violence.

Maybe the U.S. could borrow Big Joke for a few weeks.

Yah probably not a good wouldn’t be good optics for Donald’s inraged trumpers shooting women and kids 

This is a nasty subject these days if any of all of us go onto you tube and type caravan it will be mention many observations and also talking about MS13 the most dangerous type of terrorism so must of the people into that group are about 18 to 45 yr old and left behind their family wifes and childrens.

. We will all see what happen sooner than later.

Ms13 is a police matter they are thugs and criminals in reality they are small fry compared th the bloods,kripts,aryans +those guys are tatted up and easy to spot it really boils down to rasist fear mongering but in no way do I or anyone I know espouse open borders I think that could be ascribed to fear mongering by Donald and his backers

6 hours ago, Longcut said:

U.S. troops can do nothing toward U.S. citizens.

Posse Comitatus Act

Not true, the Patriot Act now called the USA Freedom Act has already destroyed that. The Feds can do anything they want to anyone now. 

I try to think of a comparison. Like if 4,500 Rohingya refugees marched on the border of Thailand. What would Thailand do? Or what would any other country do?

 

27 minutes ago, Tug said:

rasist fear mongering

 

Yes, the peaceful caravan that tore through the border gates of Mexico and injured quite a few Mexican soldiers. The same caravan who claim to be 'refugees fleeing violence' but are violently invading countries and even turning down offers from Mexico for asylum. Keep living in your fairy bubble world. 

25 minutes ago, vinegarbase said:

Not true, the Patriot Act now called the USA Freedom Act has already destroyed that. The Feds can do anything they want to anyone now. 

You're wrong. Especially not on U.S. soil.

Just now, Longcut said:

You're wrong. Especially not on U.S. soil.

The AUMF has some fairly broad provisions.

4 minutes ago, vinegarbase said:

The AUMF has some fairly broad provisions.

He is calling the caravan an invasion. So he is covered there. But no U.S. forces can be used to enforce U.S. laws.

The Posse Comitatus Act, which passed after the Civil War to keep federal troops from policing the South, limits federal troops' deployment on U.S. soil and forbids using them to enforce domestic laws. The President can deploy troops if there's an insurrection or invasion on U.S. soil.Apr 3, 2018

1 minute ago, Longcut said:

He is calling the caravan an invasion. So he is covered there. But no U.S. forces can be used to enforce U.S. laws.

The Posse Comitatus Act, which passed after the Civil War to keep federal troops from policing the South, limits federal troops' deployment on U.S. soil and forbids using them to enforce domestic laws. The President can deploy troops if there's an insurrection or invasion on U.S. soil.Apr 3, 2018

Sure, in this case agreed. 

A little comment from the fairy bubble world I have worked with the Mexican people all my life(almost 70 years now) I have found them to be family oriantated and religious just the kind of hard working tax paying people this country needs that being said I know no one who wants or espouses open borders calling this an invasion is pure rasist fear mongering you can believe as you wish I have experience and know better

9 hours ago, JingerBen said:

Agreed.

That's another good reason to send troops to the border in a show of strength.

Deter illegals from coming in and keep the militias under control at the same time.

A country should always robustly defend its borders to ensure its citizens are protected.

 

This migrant caravan appears to be mostly politically driven which seems very cynical of the Democrats.

Troll post removed.

 

8 hours ago, Tug said:

A little comment from the fairy bubble world I have worked with the Mexican people all my life(almost 70 years now) I have found them to be family oriantated and religious just the kind of hard working tax paying people this country needs that being said I know no one who wants or espouses open borders calling this an invasion is pure rasist fear mongering you can believe as you wish I have experience and know better

They're not Mexicans. It seems you're painting all Central Americans with the same brush.

Troll post removed.

No rel need for war with guns and ammo it did shift to human invasion and put the kids and woman in the front line so the media could bring that of to the tv set.

If you want to destabilize a country economically way( bring Human invasion and ignore any open border.)

On 11/7/2018 at 11:53 PM, Longcut said:

They're not Mexicans. It seems you're painting all Central Americans with the same brush.

Yes unfortunately the genuine people suffer from criminals hiding amongst them. This stops genuine people getting help and shelter as trust breaks down.

On 11/7/2018 at 10:05 PM, Patriot1066 said:

A country should always robustly defend its borders to ensure its citizens are protected.

 

This migrant caravan appears to be mostly politically driven which seems very cynical of the Democrats.

Pathetic

Troll post removed.

 

On 11/7/2018 at 2:29 PM, Longcut said:

He is calling the caravan an invasion. So he is covered there. But no U.S. forces can be used to enforce U.S. laws.

The Posse Comitatus Act, which passed after the Civil War to keep federal troops from policing the South, limits federal troops' deployment on U.S. soil and forbids using them to enforce domestic laws. The President can deploy troops if there's an insurrection or invasion on U.S. soil.Apr 3, 2018

That's interesting I thought the President could pretty much deploy the military as he or she saw fit?

 

I guess he has the work around by calling it an invasion.

Off-topic posts removed.  

4 hours ago, Grouse said:

Pathetic

Pathetic really is that the best argument on my comment you can give.

?