The Mexican National Guard rounded up hundreds of Central American migrants on Thursday as they walked north along a highway toward Tapachula after crossing the Suchiate River from Guatemala.
Waves of migrants that washed across the river throughout the week were mostly apprehended by guardsmen along the north bank, but on Thursday hundreds gathered before daylight to try a different route across a deeper stretch near a commercial bridge, upriver from the Mexican authorities.
Our heart breaks for all the migrants fleeing for their survival that were lied to and attacked by the Mexican National Guard today. The southern Mexico border is looking more and more like the US border everyday. #CaravanaMigrante #UntilEveryBorderIsSmashed pic.twitter.com/Sf8oXgY0Bz
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 24, 2020
By early morning, about 800 migrants were walking north along a rural highway carrying Honduran and U.S. flags with the National Guard closely following the group.
This morning at sunrise when the caravan finally and succesfully all crossed the Suchiate river and entered Mexico together. #caravanamigrante pic.twitter.com/Ci86QHJFAk
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 23, 2020
We are currently resting on the side of the highway. Still heading north to Tapachula. Locals are handing out Tamales. Migrants are being told if they do not fill out the Mexican Refuge forms they will be deported. pic.twitter.com/HMJM0yiXxu
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 23, 2020
The caravan stopped for free tamales from locals and aid workers passed out asylum paperwork. Eventually the group came to rest at a shaded crossroads, The Associated Press reports.
That’s when the migrants were asked to voluntarily board buses for orderly processing in Tapachula, and those who refused were persuaded otherwise by troops decked out in full riot gear.
Videos posted online show the guardsmen formed a human wall to push back on the mob of defiant migrants, who linked armed and leaned in to resist. There was tear gas, and a lot of screaming, with scores of cameras and media documenting the melee.
Migrants from the caravan are refusing to get on INM buses until they are given Mexican Refuge. The National Guard has the caravan stopped and fenced in and are approaching the caravan in full riot gear. pic.twitter.com/eNYnz0bPEq
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 23, 2020
“Migrants from the caravan are refusing to get on INM buses until they are given Mexican Refuge,” Tapachula Migrant Solidarity posted to Twitter with a video of the action. “The National Guard has the caravan stopped and fenced in and are approaching the caravan in full riot gear.”
“Many of the people allowed themselves to be escorted to 20 awaiting buses without resistance,” the AP reports, but “others resisted and were subdued by guardsmen.”
Mexican officials attempted to negotiate with the caravan’s de facto Salvadorian spokesman, Jose Luis Morales, but would not acquiesce to his demands for peaceful passage. Morales told the AP the caravan planned to wait out the confrontation until Friday, but Mexican officials had different plans.
National Guard and INM have shut down the entire highway and are approaching the caravan with vehicles and in full riot gear. There are also officials hiding in the trees making sure no one runs sideways or backwards. Metapa, Chiapas. #caravanamigrante pic.twitter.com/PiKr3E8TNO
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 23, 2020
“National Guard and INM have shut down the entire highway and are approaching the caravan with vehicles and in full riot gear,” Tapachula Migrant Solidarity posted, along with a picture of the soldiers closing in. “There are also officials hiding in the trees making sure no one runs sideways or backwards. Metapa, Chiapas.”
It wasn’t pretty for folks who refused to comply. Some were knocked unconscious, others were injured as they attempted to scramble away.
The caravan was attacked with tear gas. One woman is unconscious. Migrants are being rounded up and put on buses to Siglo XXI detention center in Tapachula. We don’t know if they will be deported or processed for refuge at that point. pic.twitter.com/tdSjj7PkSo
— Tapachula Migrant Solidarity (@SolXxtap) January 23, 2020
Así fueron los primeros momentos del operativo de la Guardia Nacional contra la #CaravanaMigrante pic.twitter.com/IH1hpPsemV
— Alberto Pradilla (@albertopradilla) January 24, 2020
The AP reports:
One man dragged by four guardsmen shouted “they killed my brother, I don’t want to die,” presumably in reference to the possibility of being returned to his country.
A woman crying as she walked toward a bus said, “I have a great need for my children.”
A paramedic attended to an injured woman lying on the highway shoulder.
The road was left littered with water bottles, plastic bags and clothing. An irate man in a blue shirt yelled at the agents “this is a war against the Hondurans,” gesturing angrily.
“Our heart breaks for all the migrants fleeing for their survival that were lied to and attacked by the Mexican National Guard today,” Tapachula Mirant Solidarity posted. “The southern Mexico border is looking more and more like the US border everyday.”
That’s certainly a complement for President Trump, who followed through on campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration. His administration’s pressure on Mexico to step up in its responsibility to enforce its borders has clearly motivated officials there to do more.
The most recent caravan originated in Honduras and grew to thousands as it reached a stand-still at the Mexico-Guatemala border last week. Many have crossed the river in the days since, but the group apprehended Thursday is the largest.
And while some Mexican National Guardsmen ushered the migrants to Tapachula for processing and likely deportation, others were escorted hundreds back home to Honduras this week.
Mexico’s National Immigration Institute told the AP seven buses and two flights left for Honduras on Wednesday with a total of 460 migrants.
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