AFP :
Thousands of Honduran migrants whose trek toward the United States has triggered tirades from US President Donald Trump prepared to continue their march Monday after a second night in Mexico.
Mexican authorities had managed to block the “caravan” of migrants on a border bridge between Mexico and Guatemala, but many later crossed the river below in makeshift rafts before marching north.
After walking seven hours from the Guatemalan border, around 3,000 migrants arrived in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Sunday.
On Monday, the caravan’s next stop on the journey of at least 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) was Huixtla, a town around 40 kilometers away.
“We are well aware that this country (Mexico) didn’t receive us as we expected, and they can return us to Honduras, and we also know there are drug traffickers who kidnap and kill migrants,” Juan Flores, one of those migrants, told AFP. “But we live with more fear in our country, so we carry on forward,” he added.
Activists say the journey through Mexico to the US border can take a month-and an irate Trump insisted Sunday that “full efforts” were underway to halt the caravan’s progress.
“Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther(n) Border,” Trump tweeted. “People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the US will turn them away.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also warned that the migrants “may be victimized by human smugglers or others who would exploit them.”
“We also are deeply concerned by the violence provoked by some members of the group, as well as the apparent political motivation of some organizers of the caravan,” Pompeo said in a statement.
About a thousand migrants, including women and children, were still stranded on a border bridge hoping to enter Mexico legally via Guatemala.
Mexican authorities insisted those on the bridge would have to file asylum claims one at a time in order to enter the country.
And another separate group of about 1,000 Hondurans started their own march across Guatemala, headed for Mexico and then the United States. The group of men, women and children gathered in Esquipulas before setting out on foot.
“No one is going to stop us, after all we’ve gone through,” said 21-year-old Aaron Juarez, who was accompanied by his wife and baby and was walking with difficulty because of an injury.
Honduran farmer Edwin Geovanni Enamorado said he was forced to leave his country because of intimidation by racketeering gangs.
“We are tired, but very happy, we are united and strong,” he said.
Britany Hernandez added: “We have sunburn. We have blisters. But we got here. Our strength is greater than Trump’s threats.”
