Mexican authorities evacuated a migrant camp in Tapachula, at the southern border of the country. The migrants, coming from Russia, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, and other countries, had camped in a green area overwhelming the office of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar) since Donald Trump's arrival as president of the United States.
The operation also included the removal of another camp where Venezuelans were staying near the offices of the National Institute of Migration (INM). Local officials removed makeshift houses made of cardboard, tarps, scraps of wire, and wood, without resorting to violence.
A Venezuelan migrant, while collecting his belongings, begged the authorities to fulfill their promise to provide them with jobs. The situation highlights the overwhelming number of asylum applications in Mexico, as migrants prefer to stay in the country due to difficulties in moving towards the United States due to Trump's new policies.
Dilver Enrique Contreras, from Honduras, stated that it was the second time he had applied for asylum to Comar and that he was in the temporary camp along with dozens of migrants waiting for their processes. On the other hand, Venezuelan María Urueta accused the authorities of transferring them to a shelter where they are treated "like animals," which has led many to prefer remaining in uncertainty.
A Comar official informed the present Haitian migrants that there were only 500 appointments available that day and requested understanding to serve them in an orderly and gradual manner. The situation reflects the complex reality of migrants in the area and the difficulties they face in their search for better living conditions.
