Mexico allows women, kids in
But thousands of migrants still stranded
CIUDAD Mexican of US-bound women authorities Honduran HIDALGO and children allowed migrant ( Mexico): from dozens cara- a van sands bridge to remain enter between the stranded country Guatemala on but a border thou- and their Mexico progress. where riot police barred
Guatemala the Mexico’s women Luis and ambassador Manuel children Lopez would said be to ties processed of Tapachula, and taken by 40km to immigration a shelter away. in authori- the city 900 Mexican other migrants authorities – tired said of waiting around
on the the Suchiate bridge River – resorted below to on crossing makeshift rafts and police did not intervene as they clambered up the muddy riverbank on the Mexican side.
Many of them had spent more than 24 hours on the packed bridge where heat and hunger was adding to a growing sense of despair. Efforts to retrieve them were ongoing, authorities said.
US President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada, kept up his rhetoric against the migrants and suggested the caravan was politically motivated.
“The Democrats want caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say ‘I wonder who started that caravan?’” he said.
He thanked Mexico for blocking the caravan’s progress.
“Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you
Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States.”
Last week, Trump threatened to cut aid to the region, deploy the military and close the US-Mexican border if authorities did not stop them.
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales continued Trump’s theme after they met in Guatemala to discuss the crisis on Saturday.
“This migration has political motivations,” said Morales, “which is violating the borders and the good faith of the states and of course putting at risk the most important thing, people.”
Hernandez also deplored “the abuse of people’s needs” for “political reasons”. — AFP