Guatemala prevents Honduran migrants from heading to U.S. border

Guatemala City, January 17 (RHC)-- Guatemala's military forces Sunday prevented the passage of more than 6,000 Honduran migrants who were trying to continue their way to the Mexico-U.S. border. 

Guatemala's Migration Institute (GIM) Director Guillermo Diaz reported that between 7,000 and 8,000 migrants had crossed the border since Friday, highlighting that 992 migrants were deported, 163 of which were minors.

Violent clashes were seen between police forces and the caravan members at the El Florido border post located in the eastern Chiquimula department.   Since December, it is the second caravan organized when hundreds of Hondurans left for the U.S. after the passing of hurricanes Eta and Iota.

Organized through social media, over 3,000 migrants headed to the north from San Pedro Sula city on Wednesday, pointing out the poverty, the lack of jobs, and gang violence in Honduras as the main reasons to leave the country.

On Thursday, Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei decreed a state of prevention in Izabal, Zacapa, Chiquimula, Jutiapa, and Santa Rosa, El Progreso, and Peten. Likewise, Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez announced a curfew and the deployment of the military police.

Mexico's National Institute of Migration (INM) officer Aristeo Taboada informed that at least 500 migratory agents were stationed in the southeastern Chiapas and Tabasco departments to prevent migrants from passing.