Migrants set out from Honduras amid pandemic

Hundreds of migrants began walking on Wednesday night from a northern Honduras city toward the Guatemala border testing a well-trod migration route amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Calls for a new migrant caravan to leave from the San Pedro Sula bus station on 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 had gathered on Wednesday decided not to wait for October, instead setting out in the dark of night carrying knapsacks and many wearing masks.

The groups quickly strung out along the highway with some catching rides while others continued to walk toward the Guatemala border.

Mexico's immigration agency has 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.

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 has only worsened under the pandemic.

The UN's International Labour Organization said on Wednesday that at least 34 million jobs have been lost in Latin America due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This story has not been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.