In a bid to reach the United States, nearly a thousand migrants who recently crossed from Guatemala into Mexico have formed a group and embarked on a journey northward. Led by a Venezuela flag with the message "Peace, Freedom. SOS," the group predominantly consists of Venezuelan migrants. Walking along a highway in southern Mexico, they were closely followed by Mexican National Guard patrols.
Migrants stressed that they entered Mexico illegally by crossing a river that separates the two countries. The decision to organize the group and travel together was driven by the dire circumstances they faced, as many had been sleeping on the streets and had depleted their financial resources for food.
"We just want to move forward, to fulfill our American dream and work because we're all workers here," expressed Roseli Gloria, a Venezuelan migrant who joined the group after spending a week in Mexico.
Carrying a backpack and a piece of rolled-up foam for sleeping, she highlighted the lack of assistance received from Mexican immigration authorities. Furthermore, the migrants claimed to have received conflicting and confusing instructions regarding how to proceed or seek asylum in the United States.
The formation of this latest migrant group in southern Mexico occurs against the backdrop of a record migratory flow to the United States from various Latin American countries. U.S. authorities reported nearly 2.5mn encounters with migrants on the southern border in the 12 months leading up to May 2023, indicating an increase compared to the previous year.
The journey ahead is fraught with challenges as migrants often face the risk of kidnappings, extortion, and other forms of violence from armed groups operating in the region. Consequently, many migrants choose to travel in large groups to enhance their safety.
While migrants from Venezuela previously sought refuge in other South American nations such as Colombia and Peru, they are increasingly undertaking the perilous journey through the Darien Gap, a dense jungle area between Colombia and Panama, in their quest to reach the United States.
The situation underscores the complex and ongoing issue of migration and the challenges faced by migrants in their pursuit of a better life. The need for comprehensive and compassionate immigration policies remains a pressing concern as nations grapple with the humanitarian aspects of these migratory flows while also addressing the broader socioeconomic factors that drive migration in the first place.
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