Migrants Caravan: Migrants break fence, stream into Mexico

Thousands of migrants, met by riot police firing tear gas as they broke a fence and crossed the border, responded with stones and sticks.

Central American migrants run from Mexican authorities during clashes on a border bridge that connects Guatemala and Mexico. Picture: Billy Santiago/AP

Thousands of migrants, most of them Hondurans, have poured across the border into Mexican territory after breaking through the metal fence separating Guatemala and Mexico amid clashes with police.

Guatemalan riot police fired tear gas at the migrants who, in desperation to continue their northward trek toward the US border, responded by hurling stones and sticks.

“Let’s go to Mexico,” shouted the migrants in the group as they headed for the Mexican customs office, where a heavy police presence initially prevented them from crossing the bridge or the river separating the two countries.

There was significant tension during the confrontation, with parents pulling their children out of the line of fire.

Central American migrants try to force their way through a customs gate at the border bridge connecting Guatemala and Mexico. Picture: A new group of migrants, who called themselves a second caravan, gathered on a bridge after forcing their way through a gate at the Guatemalan end and clashed with Mexican authorities. Picture: Billy Santiago/AP

Ultimately, however, the migrants broke through the fence into Mexico, despite police opposition, although an unknown number of people were injured. An initial caravan of migrants — now comprising some 7000 people, mainly Hondurans — departed from San Pedro Sula on October 13 heading for the US and a large number of them are currently traversing far southern Mexico on foot after making it through Guatemala.

A Honduran migrant throws stones at the border between Guatemala and Mexico. Picture: Billy Santiago/AP

Most of the members of this caravan on Sunday postponed their departure from San Pedro Tapanatepec, in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, to reorganise their security measures after on Saturday night a fight occurred in which one person was injured.

Caravan spokesman Alexander Martinez said at a press conference that all except about 300 members of the group decided to remain in the town and resume their journey on Monday morning while they organise safety and security committees.

Meanwhile, this second caravan of about 1500 people is moving through Guatemala in several groups.

Finally, in a caravan apparently organised via the social networks, some 150 Salvadorans, including women and children, on Sunday began heading northwards toward the US looking for better living conditions, just like the other groups. The Salvadoran caravan departed from San Salvador, where the members gathered to organise, and members said that they intended to head for the border with Guatemala, then enter Mexico and finally travel the 1000 or so miles north to the southern US border.

US President Donald Trump has taken a hard line toward the first caravan, threatening to deploy US Army troops along the border to prevent entry and saying he will significantly cut economic aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in reprisal for their inability to halt the migrants.

Migrants watch as a Mexican Federal Police helicopter flies over the border bridge connecting Guatemala and Mexico. Picture: Billy Santiago/AP