At least one Honduran migrant dies after caravan of 3,000 forces their way across the Guatemala border in hopes of reaching the United States
At least one Honduran man has died after as many 3,000 migrants stampeded across the Guatemala border Thursday in hopes of getting to the United States.
The Guatemalan Institute of Migration said the man, who was not identified, was traveling aboard a tractor trailer in the border town of Entre RÃos when he fell to the ground and was subsequently run over by the truck.
The Guatemalan government, which had just opened its borders that had been shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, promised to detain and deport anyone caught unlawfully crossing its border with Honduras.
Video footage showed border agents and military soldiers were heavily outnumbered when hundreds of Honduran migrants ran through the border port of entry point in the Guatemalan city of El Corinto.
A Guatemalan Red Cross member covers the body of a Honduran man who died after falling off a trailer in the city of El Corinto on Thursday after a massive caravan of as many as 3,000 migrants crossed the Honduras-Guatemala border in hopes of reaching the United States and applying for asylum
Honduran migrants, part of a caravan heading to the US, walk in Entre Rios, Guatemala, after crossing the border from Honduras. At least 3,000 migrants entered the Central American nation Thursday, according to the Guatemalan Institute of Migration. Guatemala expects a second caravan of almost 3,000 people to enter the country Friday
Guatemalan Institute of Migration director Guillermo DÃaz said the Honduran migrants injured some of the border agents as they filtered into the Central American nation.
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei vowed to return them to Honduras, citing efforts to contain the pandemic.
As the migrants convened at the Honduras border, Guatemalan officials asked the migrants to provide documents showing a negative COVID-19 test - even though last week they said they wouldn't require a test for those spending less than 72 hours in the country.
Honduran migrants walked through the Guatemalan border town of Puerto Barrios on Friday
An Honduran migrant stands on the side of a highway in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. The Guatemalan Institute of Migration expects the arrival of a second caravan with at least 3,000 migrants Friday
Honduran migrants rest in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, on Friday. A caravan of 3,000 people formed Wednesday and departed the northwestern Honduras city of San Pedro Sula. Guatemalan officials expect a second wave of at least 3,000 migrants Friday
'The order has been given to detain all those who entered illegally, and return them to the border of their country,' Giammattei said in a broadcast address to the nation. 'We will not allow any foreigner who has used illegal means to enter the country, to think that they have the right to come and infect us and put us at serious risk.'
Giammattei issued an order that would suspend some constitutional rights in the provinces they were expected to pass through, apparently in order to facilitate detaining them.
Guatemala's military said it was establishing interior checkpoints to review migrants' documents. In the past, authorities have set up roadblocks deeper in the country to winnow down larger groups. A regional agreement allows citizens of Honduras to transit through Guatemala. Guatemalan authorities had planned to register the migrants as they crossed earlier Thursday and offer assistance to those willing to turn back.
Governments throughout the region made it known they were watching since Wednesday.
Honduran migrants hitch a ride aboard a truck in Entre RÃos, Guatemala, after overwhelming border agents and military officials Thursday
Caravan members sleep on the streets of Entre RÃos, Guatemala, after crossing over from Honduras on Thursday
A migrant from Honduras sits in front of a Honduran flag in Entre Rios, Guatemala, after crossing the border Thursday with a caravan of about 3,000 people
The massive caravan was reminiscent of 2018 when a caravan started out just before key midterm United States elections. This year it was clear that times had changed, in part because of fears of contagion.
The odds of a large migrant caravan reaching the U.S. border, already low, have grown increasingly slim over the past year. Under pressure from the United States, Mexico deployed its National Guard and more immigration agents to break up attempted caravans last year.
They dispersed large groups of migrants attempting to travel together in southern Mexico. Actually crossing into the U.S. legally is virtually impossible now with pandemic, and entering illegally is as difficult as ever.
While the caravans draw attention, they really only account for a small fraction of the daily migration flow by small groups that pass unnoticed through Central America and Mexico.
Mexico's immigration agency said in a statement that it would enforce 'safe, orderly and legal' migration and not do anything to promote the formation of a caravan.
Guatemalan cops and a Red Cross paramedic secure the scene where a Honduran man died Thursday in Guatemala after falling off a trailer
Honduran migrants break a fence to enter Guatemala on Thursday. The Guatemalan Institute of Migration estimates as many as 6,000 migrants will have crossed into its territory from Honduras by Friday
Honduran migrants, trying to reach the U.S., sleep on the floor after a long day of walking in Entre RÃos, Guatemala, on Thursday
Honduran migrants run under a sign that reads 'Have a nice trip. Welcome to Guatemala' after breaking a fence and entering Guatemala from Corinto, Honduras
Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called the latest caravan of migrants a "provocation" and directly pinned it on the 2020 presidential elections.
'It seems very strange to us, it is very strange that this caravan leaves on the eve of the election in the United States. It is a lot of coincidence,' López Obrador said Friday. 'And how is it that in Honduras, there is even a curfew, this group that has already entered Guatemala, which was summoned on social networks, is allowed to join.
'It is a matter that I believe has to do with the election in the United States, I do not have all the details, but there are indications that this was put together for that purpose, I do not know for whose benefit.'
The U.S. Embassy in Honduras said on Twitter Wednesday that migration to the U.S. was more difficult than ever right now - and more dangerous because of the coronavirus.
Hundreds of Hondurans set out by foot and tested the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to chase the dream of receiving asylum from the United States. It's estimated that 900 people left the city of San Pedro Sula on Wednesday night for the Guatemalan border
A woman in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, pushes a stroller as she and hundreds of other migrants abandoned their homes and headed toward Guatemala, where they hope to cross into Mexico before making their way to the souther United States border to seek asylum
The flow of migrants north from Central America had slowed dramatically during the pandemic as countries throughout the region closed their borders. Most migrant shelters along the principal routes closed their doors to new arrivals as they tried to keep the virus from spreading to vulnerable populations. Mexico and the United States deported hundreds of migrants back to their home countries to try to empty detention centers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection stats show a significant drop in detainments of Honduran migrants at the southwestern border from October 2019 to August 2020.
CBP agents detained 3,857 unaccompanied children and 9,946 individuals. Figures for September have not been made available to the public.
During the same period from October 2018 to September 2019, the agency intercepted 20,398 children traveling alone and 188,416 individuals.
Many of the latest caravan members didn't make it far into Guatemala before having to stop for the night. Most appeared to be young men, though there were a few small children being pushed in strollers.
Central American migrants began traveling in large groups in recent years, seeking safety in numbers and in some cases avoiding the cost of smugglers. Calls for a new migrant caravan to leave Oct. 1 had circulated for weeks on social media.
Christian MartÃnez, 19, saw leaving as a way out when few other options were apparent in Honduras. 'If we stay what is left for us is to become criminals because there's no way to survive,' he said.
The United Nation's International Labour Organization said Wednesday that at least 34 million jobs have been lost in Latin America due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ILO lists Latin America and the Caribbean as the worst-hit region in the world in terms of lost working hours, with a drop of 20.9% in the first three quarters of the year.
Migrants are also likely to find it more difficult to find work in Mexico now as the economy is expected to contract 10% this year due to the impact of the pandemic.
MarÃa Elena Hernández, 42, who once worked as a cook, was sitting in the rain Thursday by the side of the road, seeking a bit of shelter under a piece of metal roofing with her daughter and 8-year-old granddaughter.
A Honduran family walks through the northwestern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Wednesday night with a caravan of about 900 migrants
Hundreds of migrants began walking from the northwestern Honduras city of San Pedro Sula toward the Guatemala border, challenging a well-trod migration route now in times of the coronavirus epidemic
Hernández said she heard about the caravan on Facebook. She said the last job she had was months ago at a corner store, but the business closed down due to the pandemic.
Around her, many migrants didn't even wear masks; they were more concerned about staying dry, and looking for a bit of food or water. The migrants have split into smaller groups as they trudged along the highway toward Mexico.
In one group were four teenagers, all friends and neighbors from San Pedro Sula, from which hundreds of migrants had set out the Wednesday night. The teens decided to leave after seeing others organize on Facebook.
The youngest, 15-year-old Josty Morales, said he wanted to live the 'American dream' and was looking for a way to support his 6-month-old son at home.
'There's no work. The necessity strangles you,' he said.