MEXICO CITY: A massive caravan of migrants, comprising up to 8,000 people from central and southern America, is making its way through Mexico toward the United States border. Participants, mostly from Venezuela, Cuba, and Mexico, carry a banner proclaiming “Poverty Exodus.”
This movement coincides with the impending visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Mexico City, where efforts to negotiate new agreements on migration control will be on the agenda.
The surge in migrant numbers comes against the backdrop of a persistent challenge at the US southern border, with over two million detentions recorded in both the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. In September 2023 alone, US Border Patrol detained over 200,000 migrants crossing the US-Mexico border unlawfully, according to figures from US Homeland Security.
Migrant Caravan in Mexico
The Christmas Eve caravan commenced its journey from Tapachula, a southern Mexican city near the border with Guatemala. Among the participants is Jose Santos, a Honduran migrant fleeing threats from a criminal gang. Santos told Reuters, “I was scared, so I decided to come to Mexico hoping I will be allowed to go to the US.”
The timing of the caravan’s movement aligns with Secretary Blinken’s visit to Mexico, where he aims to establish new agreements addressing migration challenges. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed willingness to collaborate with the US to address migration concerns, emphasizing a shared commitment to finding solutions.
The meeting between President López Obrador and Secretary Blinken is scheduled for Wednesday. The White House issued a statement noting that discussions would focus on “unprecedented irregular migration” in the western hemisphere, seeking collaborative approaches to address border security challenges between the two nations.
