Mexican immigration authorities have broken up two migrant caravans heading toward the United States, offering some travelers bus rides to southern cities and others transit papers, activists said Saturday.
Rights activist Luis García Villagrán characterized the actions as part of “an agreement between the president of Mexico and the president of the United States,” following President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country stems migrant flow.
The first caravan, which began November 5 in Tapachula near the Guatemalan border with about 2,500 people, had reached Tehuantepec in Oaxaca state after walking 270 miles. Immigration officials there offered free transportation to southern and central Mexican cities.
“They took some of us to Acapulco, others to Morelia, and others from our group to Oaxaca city,” said Bárbara Rodríguez, who left Venezuela after recent contested elections. Officials said migrants “voluntarily accepted” rides to areas with medical assistance for immigration status review.
A second group of about 1,500 migrants, departing November 20, reached Tonala, Chiapas, about 140 miles into their journey before authorities offered 20-day transit visas for travel across Mexico.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote Wednesday that “migrants and caravans are taken care of before they reach the border,” following a call with Trump. No caravan has reached the U.S. border intact since 2018-2019, when larger groups received partial bus transportation north.
