Uno stimato 7,000 per 8,000 US-bound migrants have entered Guatemala from Honduras since Friday, a spokesman for Guatemala’s official immigration agency, Alejandra Mena, told CNN on Saturday.
Thousands of people are joining the US-bound groups to flee a life of poverty and violence. Two devastating hurricanes struck the region alla fine dell'anno scorso, exacerbating the economic strain caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Honduran authorities to do more to “contain the massive departure of its inhabitants” in a statement issued Saturday.
While not responding directly to Guatemala’s request, the National Institute of Migration in Honduras said on social media it has reinforced three border points between the two countries with immigration inspectors.
A video captured by CNN on Saturday showed a large group of people pushing past a cordon of Guatemalan soldiers to gain access to highways traveling to Mexico. Authorities estimated nearly 3,500 people made it pass the cordon.
Last October, il first major US-bound migrant caravan since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic left San Pedro Sula, Honduras and crossed into Guatemala with an estimated 1,500 per 2,800 persone.
Crossings at the US-Mexico border immerso durante 2020 blocchi. Apprehensions in the month of April hit the lowest mark in years, con circa 17,100.
Da allora, apprehensions have steadily climbed, with roughly 70,000 each in the months of October, November and December, secondo US Customs and Border Protection statistics.
