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A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 5 noveMber 2018

Most of leading migrant caravan heads for Mexico City

By SONIA PEREZ D. gree have I been able to
Associated Press find work," he said of his
ISLA, Mexico (AP) — Thou- home country.
sands of bone-tired Central Mexico faces the unprec-
Americans set their sights edented situation of hav-
on Mexico City on Sunday, ing three migrant caravans
after undertaking a gruel- stretched over 300 miles
ing journey through a part (500 kilometers) of highway
of Mexico that has been in the states of Chiapas,
particularly treacherous for Oaxaca and Veracruz.
migrants seeking to get to On Friday, a caravan from
the United States. El Salvador waded over the
The majority of the roughly Suchiate River into Mexico,
4,000 migrants streamed bringing around 1,000 peo-
into the town of Cordoba ple who want to reach the
in the Gulf coast state of U.S. border. That caravan
Veracruz, a gateway to the initially tried to cross the
central part of the country bridge between Guatema-
124 miles from their previ- la and Mexico, but Mexi-
ous stop. The day's trek was can authorities told them
one of the longest yet, as they would have to show
the exhausted migrants Central American migrants pack into the back of a trailer truck as they begin their morning trek passports and visas and en-
tried to make progress as part of a thousands-strong caravan hoping to reach the U.S. border, in Isla, Veracruz state, ter in groups of 50 for pro-
walking and hitching rides Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. cessing.
toward the U.S. border still Associated Press Another caravan, also of
hundreds of miles away. about 1,000 people, en-
It is unclear what part of the ed by ordinary Mexicans fully pleaded for buses The migrants generally say tered Mexico early in the
U.S. border they will aim for lending a hand. Catalina after three weeks on the they are fleeing rampant past week. That group in-
eventually, but their latest Munoz said she bought tor- road. Others were angry for poverty, gang violence cludes Hondurans, Salva-
overnight stay in Veracruz tillas on credit to assemble being directed northward and political instability pri- dorans and some Guate-
could be one of their last tacos of beans, cheese through Veracruz, calling it marily in the Central Ameri- malans.
before they head to Mexi- and rice when she heard the "route of death." can countries of Honduras, The first, and largest, group
co City, a potential launch- the migrant caravan would The trek past the state's Guatemala, El Salvador of mainly Honduran mi-
ing spot for a broader array pass through Benemerito sugar fields and fruit groves and Nicaragua. grants entered Mexico on
of destinations. Juarez, her tiny town of has taken the majority "We think that it is better Oct. 19.
In the capital, they may 3,000 inhabitants. She gath- through a state where hun- to continue together with Mexico's Interior Ministry
also receive additional sup- ered 15 others to help make dreds of migrants have dis- the caravan. We are going estimated Saturday that
port, although Mexican of- the tacos, fill water bottles appeared in recent years, to stay with it and respect there are more than 5,000
ficials have appeared con- and carry fruit to weary falling prey to kidnappers the organizers," said Luis migrants in total currently
flicted over whether to help travelers on the roadside. looking for ransom pay- Euseda, a 32-year-old from moving through southern
or hinder their journey. As migrants began fil- ments. Authorities there Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Mexico via caravans or in
Manuel Calderon, 43, ing into a sports complex said in September they had traveling with his wife, Jes- smaller groups. The ministry
a migrant from El Salva- in Cordoba, others had discovered remains from at sica Fugon. "Others went says 2,793 migrants have
dor, knew many miles lay already hopped freight least 174 people buried in ahead, maybe they have applied for refuge in Mex-
ahead and said he want- trucks to Puebla and even clandestine graves, raising no goal, but we do have a ico in recent weeks and
ed to "speed up the pace." Mexico City. A few arrived questions about whether goal and it is to arrive." around 500 have asked for
He said he was fleeing vio- at a large outdoor stadium the bodies belonged to mi- Mynor Chavez, a 19-year- assistance to return to their
lence in his home country in the capital and lounged grants. old from Copan, Honduras, countries of origin.
and had dreams of mak- on bleachers a day after But even with the group was determined to con- Uncertainty awaits migrants
ing it back to the U.S., from divisions beset the ranks of somewhat more scattered, tinue. who reach the U.S.
which he was deported a the caravan over which most of the migrants were "I have no prospects (in President Donald Trump
little more than two years route to take. convinced that traveling as Honduras). I graduated has ordered U.S. troops to
ago. Some were disappointed a large mass was their best as a computer technician the Mexican border in re-
On the road, he was greet- after organizers unsuccess- hope for reaching the U.S. and not even with a de- sponse to the caravans.q