Caravan of 900 migrants sets off from Honduras towards U.S. border just weeks after Central American countries began reopening their borders following COVID lockdowns
A caravan of at least 900 migrants have gathered in Honduras to begin a 2,000-mile walk towards the United States, just weeks after neighboring Guatemala reopened its borders following months of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
The Hondurans began walking Wednesday night in the northwestern city of San Pedro Sula, testing a well-trod migration route now in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Calls for a new migrant caravan to leave from the San Pedro Sula bus station October 1 had been circulating on social media for weeks.
The caravan comes just two weeks after Guatemala reopened its borders after keeping them sealed for months to slow the spread of COVID-19.
But the majority of the migrants who gathered Wednesday decided not to wait for October, instead setting out in the dark of night carrying knapsacks and many wearing masks.
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
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
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
Motorists stuck in traffic jams recorded the the groups quickly strung out along the highway with some catching rides while others continued to walk toward the Guatemala border.
Late Wednesday, Guatemala's immigration agency said in a statement that its counterpart in Honduras estimated 900 migrants were in the city of Choloma and were headed to the border crossing at Corinto.
Governments throughout the region made it known they were watching Wednesday.
Mexico's National Migration Institute said in a statement that it would enforce 'safe, orderly and legal' migration and not do anything to promote the formation of a migrant caravan.
The U.S. Embassy in Honduras said via Twitter Wednesday that migration to the U.S. was more difficult than ever right now and more dangerous because of coronavirus epidemic.
But the push factors driving migrants from Central America certainly haven't eased during the pandemic. The lack of jobs and struggle for families to put food on the table have only worsened.
Despite the threat of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, it's estimated that 900 people formed a caravan in Honduras on Wednesday night and traveled to Guatemala. Their goal is to cross into the neighboring Central American nation and to enter Mexico before trekking north to the United States border to seek asylum
A Honduran family walks through the northwestern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Wednesday night with a caravan of about 900 migrants
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.
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 principle routes north through Mexico closed their doors to new arrivals as they tried to keep the virus from spreading to vulnerable migrant populations. Mexico and the United States deported hundreds of migrants back to their home countries to try to empty detention centers.
The U.S. government used the pandemic to effectively shut down the asylum system at its southern border.
The Mexican government tried to bus asylum seekers stuck at its northern border south.
Under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico has typically offered migrants the opportunity to seek asylum there, but many have their minds set on the United States. 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.
Migrants walk along a highway in hopes of reaching the distant United States, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Wednesday
A group of Hondurans hop on the back of a pickup truck as they hitch a ride toward the Guatemala border on Wednesday night
Migrants walk along a highway in hopes of reaching the distant United States, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Wednesday
The departure of the group Wednesday night was reminiscent of a migrant caravan that formed two years ago shortly before U.S. midterm elections. It became a hot issue in the campaign fueling anti-immigrant rhetoric.
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.
Under pressure from the U.S. government last year, Mexico took a more aggressive approach toward migrants after President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on imports. López Obrador authorized the deployment of Mexico's National Guard to intercept them on highways and worked to keep massive caravans seen in previous years from forming.
Central American migrants began traveling in large groups in recent years, seeking safety in numbers and in some cases avoiding the cost of smugglers. They drew significant attention, but were a fraction of the everyday migration flow toward the U.S. border.