Mexican troops block Guatemala's migrants amid growing pressure from US

Mexican troops urged a caravan of around 1500 Central American migrants on Saturday to maintain order and respect after the group attempted forced entry into the country from Guatemala in hopes of travelling north to the United States, international media reported. More than 200 migrants rested on the Rodolfo Robles, a bridge at the Guatemala-Mexico border waiting for the arrival of others and hoping sheer numbers will improve their chances of entering Mexico. 

Migrants can cross border in controlled manner

According to reports, a National Guard soldier standing at the border continuously warned the people to not endanger their lives by exposing themselves to the human traffickers. The soldier further said that they could not enter Mexico without a visa or a migration document adding that the option of sneaking in was dangerous. National Gaurd General Vincente Hernandez while talking to reporters from Mexican media said that all the migrants will be allowed to cross the border in a controlled manner. He also said that all the migrants will be given equal opportunities, international media reported. The General further said they completely understand the situation before referring to the migrants as their brothers from Honduras El Salvador and Guatemala. 

Read: Migrants Walk Through Guatemala To Mexico

Read: Migrants, Troops Slowly Build Up On Guatemala-Mexico Border

On Friday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered 4,000 jobs to members of the caravan in an attempt to dissuade them from travelling on to the United States, a news agency cited. An official from National Institute of Migration reported to International media that some 8000 migrants agreed to regularise their status and seek employment in Mexico. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has continuously pressurised its neighbour to slow the surge of undocumented migrants who arrived at the US Mexico Border last year. In May 2019, Trump threatened Lopez Obrador’s government to impose new tariffs if it did not slow down the influx of migrants. 

Read: Mexico: Accident Caused Drowning Deaths Of 4 Personnel

Read: 100s Of Migrants Crossing Guatemala Face New Challenges

On Wednesday, international media reported that Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei said that the migrants would be allowed to pass through Guatemala, though he noted that they would need the proper papers and predicted they would run into a "wall" in Mexico.  Less-organised migrant groups, tighter controls by Guatemalan and Mexican authorities and the presence of US advisers have reduced the likelihood of a repeat of the huge, cohesive processions - the so-called caravans - that came through Central America and Mexico in 2018 and 2019.

(With inputs from AP)