Several hundred candidates for exile formed Thursday, January 13 in Honduras a caravan of migrants who intends to go on foot to the United States, via Guatemala and Mexico, in search of better living conditions, with the hope to be allowed entry by future US President Joe Biden.
Read also: The keys to understanding the caravan of migrants to the United States
A first contingent of 300 people set off at dawn from San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in the country, 180 kilometers north of Tegucigalpa, to reach the border with Guatemala, at the Corinto post, located a hundred kilometers.
In small groups, some of which displayed the Honduran flag, the migrants mostly wore protective face masks, required by the authorities in the fight against Covid-19.
According to the call that is spreading on social networks, some 3,000 people should meet Thursday evening in San Pedro Sula to leave at dawn Friday for Corinto or Agua Caliente, the other border point with Guatemala, a journey of 260 km.
Honduras mobilized 7,000 police officers to supervise groups of migrants during their journey to the Guatemalan border.
Migrants say they want to flee extreme poverty, unemployment, gang violence and drug traffickers, as well as the crisis accentuated by the coronavirus pandemic and the devastating passage of two powerful hurricanes in November.
“We are fleeing misery.
I haven't had a job since March, when the pandemic started
,
”
explains Jessenia Ramírez.
This cook lost her job in a restaurant and, at 36, left behind her husband and children aged 21, 18 and 16 to join this first caravan of the year 2021. Ivan Inestroza, 23, He and his 18-year-old wife Deylin and 21-year-old sister Leana share the hope of building
"a little house and saving some money to start a business"
when they return home.
Their house was destroyed by hurricanes, says Deylin, who also wants to
"work, build the house and come back"
.
Read also: The migrant caravan heads to the United States
Everyone is hoping that President Joe Biden, who will be sworn in on Wednesday, will ease US migration policy.
"Don't waste your time and money and risk your safety or health,"
Acting Commissioner of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mark A, told them. Morgan.
It's a
“deadly”
journey
, he warned them.
For its part, the Mexican government has warned that it
“will not allow the illegal entry
(into its territory)
of migrant caravans, and
(that it) will
continue to adhere to its migration legislation and health protocols. established ”
.
“Organized crime promotes caravans,”
said Honduran police chief Julian Hernandez.
"It is sad to see these families leave who have the hope of improving their living conditions, at the risk of falling into the hands of these criminals,"
he added to journalists.
More than a dozen migrant caravans have left Honduras since October 2018, but all have clashed with the thousands of US border guards and military personnel positioned on the southern border with Mexico by President Donald Trump.
Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras have signed a so-called “safe third country” agreement with the Trump administration, in which they pledge to work with the United States to stop migratory flows from Central America.
To read also: In Tijuana, the “migrant caravans” find themselves in an impasse
On Thursday, Guatemala declared seven departments on "alert" for the imminent arrival of the caravan.
The decree allows
"the security forces to dissolve by force any type of gathering or public demonstration that will be held without authorization
.
"
If
"migration is a right"
, migrants must respect the standards of entry into Guatemalan territory, in particular by presenting a negative test for Covid-19 as well as identity documents, including for minor children, have warned the Guatemalan authorities.
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