Thousands Of Migrants March Towards US border Ahead Of Blinken’s Visit In Mexico

A large caravan of migrants marched through Mexico, a country in North America, on Sunday, traveling towards the border with the United States from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba, and other countries.

It comes just days before Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State, arrives in Mexico City to talk about the migrant crisis. The migrant caravan of around 6,000 people is the largest in more than a year.

The migrant caravan departed from the country’s southern border with Guatemala, a Central American country south of Mexico. The migrant caravan also included families with small children.

The migrant caravan departed on Christmas Eve from the city of Tapachula. A migrant told the media, “Hopefully with this march there will be a change and we can get the permission we need to head north.”

Migrant crisis

Migrants spent Christmas Eve in a public square without shelter. Migrants said, “We won’t be stopped, we’ll keep walking.” Haitian migrant Ysguel Jean told Reuters that he had left his home country because of rampant crime and corruption.

He said that he wanted to reach the United States to live a better life. He said, “I’m tired of waiting around in Tapachula, being hungry, and unable to earn a living.”

Last month, thousands of people joined the migrant caravan heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Most people came from Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela. 

The larger migrant caravan, consisting of at least 7,000 people, were heading to the US, seeking a better life. They left their countries because of poverty and political instability. 

A record number of people have crossed the US border this year. Migrant caravans have been a regular feature at the US-Mexico border in recent months.

Earlier this year, the United Nations declared the U.S.-Mexico border as the world’s deadliest land migration route.