Many in migrant caravan bused back to Honduran border
POPTUN, Guatemala ras, had perhaps been or( AP) — Early Saturday, ganized with U.S. politicis hundreds of Honduran in mind. migrants who had entered “I think it has to do with Guatemala this week withthe election in the United out registering were being States,” López Obrador bused back to their counsaid. “I don’t have all the try’s border by authorities elements, but there are after running into a large indications that it formed roadblock. with that purpose. I don’t
By 5 a.m. Saturday, none know to whose benefit, but of 1,000 or so migrants who we’re not naive.” had been stalled by police The new group was and soldiers remained reminiscent of a migrant along a stretch of rural caravan that formed two highway remained. Police years ago shortly before said that hours earlier, miU.S. midterm elections. It grants had boarded buses became a hot issue in the and army trucks to be taken campaign, fueling anti-imback to the border. migrant rhetoric.
Small groups of fewBut on Friday, Mexico’s er than 10 migrants each point man on the coronacould still be found walking virus pandemic, Assistant along the highway before Health Secretary Hugo the roadblock Saturday López- Gatell, sounded morning. more conciliatory, saying
Olvin Suazo, 21, was the migrants didn’t repwalking with three friends, resent a health threat and all from Santa Barbara, that Mexico was “moralHonduras. became increasingly frus
ly, legally and politically “We’re going to contintrated with the lack of food
obliged to help them.” ue,” he said. “We were restand forward movement af
On Thursday, Guateing and the bigger group ter walking from Honduras
malan President Alejancontinued. We didn’t know earlier this week.
dro Giammattei vowed what happened to them.” Migrants’ voices rang out
to return the migrants to The four, all in their earon the rural highway, dely 20s, are farmworkers. Honduras, citing e orts to
manding authorities either
They heard about the caracontain the pandemic.
let them through or provide van that formed earlier this Migrant caravans from
them food. week in San Pedro Sula via Central America gained
As night fell, Honduran
WhatsApp and Facebook. popularity in recent years
migrant Paola Díaz spread
Late Friday, hundreds because they provided
a blanket on the roadside of migrants headed for the some degree of safety in
and put pajamas on her
United States had become numbers and allowed those
children, aged 4 and 6, in increasingly desperate after who couldn’t a ord to pay
hopes they might sleep running into the roadblock. awhile. a smuggler to attempt the
Seldom since 2018 had Díaz said she decided trip to the United States. the prospects for a migrant to join the caravan with At first, they received caravan been so discouragher husband, Alejando generous support from the ing. Guatemala’s president Vásquez, 23, because what communities they passed, saw them as a contagion he earned as a mechanic especially in southern risk amid the coronaviwas no longer enough to Mexico. Last year, howevrus pandemic and vowed buy the children food. er, U.S. President Donald to deport them. Mexico’s Guatemala immigration Trump threatened crippresident speculated that authorities said some of pling tariffs on Mexican the caravan was a plot to the original group of about Honduran Fernando “I am going (north) beaboard the bed of one truck imports if it didn’t slow the influence the U.S. elections. 2,000 migrants had agreed Sabión, 20, walked along cause I want to meet my in his wheelchair with the flow of migrants to the U.S. And newly formed Tropical to return to Honduras. The shirtless on the northern father. He is in the United help of fellow Honduran border. Mexico responded Storm Gamma threatened others had split between route, carrying Angel, a States,” said Sabión. “He migrants. by deploying the National to dump torrential rain two routes: Some traveled 4-month-old baby, in his left when I was a baby, and In Mexico, President Guard and more immion their planned route north to Peten, where the arms. The boy isn’t his, but I want to go up there and Andrés Manuel López gration agents to intercept through VOTED southern # 1 Mexico. BEST roadblock NEW was, AND and USED others Sabión AUTO was helping DEALER the ba2017, find a job 2018 in construction.” & 2019 Obrador I. V. PRESS suggested Friday READERS’ large groups CHOICE of migrants.
On Friday, over 100 Guawalked, hitched rides took by’s mother, Madelin, on Some had hitched rides that the estimated 2,000 The last attempted caratemalan soldiers and police buses west toward the capthe wearying walk through aboard passing trucks. migrants who set out from van was broken up by Mexblocked the migrants, who ital, Guatemala City. tropical heat. Wilmer Chávez, 35, got San Pedro Sula, Hondu- ican guardsmen in January.