US braced for migrants

MEXICO had amassed 250 extra police on its border with Guatemala in preparation for the arrival of a migrant caravan heading for the US, officials said on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump has criticized the caravan, threatening Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador with aid cuts if they fail to stop migrants from crossing their borders on the way to the US.

The first migrants have arrived in the Guatemalan border town of Tecun Uman.

The caravan, which is estimated to include between 1 500 and 3 000 people, left San Pedro Sula in northern Honduras on Saturday.

The migrants, who include children and elderly people, are moving by bus, other vehicles and on foot.

Guatemalan authorities have pledged to guarantee order and security, but let the migrants pass through.

Mexico has announced it will not allow the entry of people without the necessary documents.

However, the migrants had the possibility of seeking asylum in Mexico, Amnesty International said.