Tapachula, Chiapas. In a week of walking, the Viacrucis Migrante 2024 has traveled 152 kilometers along the coast of Chiapas trying to advance to the center and north of Mexico.
The contingent arrived this Monday in the municipality of Pijijiapan after an exhausting day of more than 12 hours, the longest so far of the entire journey since their departure from Tapachula last Monday, March 25th.
Luis García Villagrán, from the Human Dignification Center.A., said that the migrants took twice as long to complete the 25 kilometer stretch between the Hermenegildo Galeana community and the capital of Pijijiapan because the children and women are very tired and sick.
“The women are very sick, 10 fainted without being treated on the journey. Yesterday they were dying of hunger. They are practically dragging their feet,” the activist warned.
Due to this situation, the Caravan will rest one more day before continuing to the next point on Wednesday, which is the municipality of Tonalá.
The group has 120 kilometers left to leave the State and enter Oaxaca.
The defender assured that according to the information that the members of the Viacrucis themselves have given him – he has not been able to accompany them on this occasion due to a judicial process against him – there are about 250 minors who already resent the ravages of the journey.
“Like I have never seen before, these migrants have suffered and have suffered, if the government does nothing soon these people are going to collapse,” said the human rights defender.
He regretted the indifference of the authorities and civil society to provide them with help of all kinds in their journey through southern Mexico.
“The Government of Chiapas has ignored the request for precautionary measures made to the National Human Rights Commission. Health care and humanitarian aid are urgently needed,” García Villagrán insisted.
The Viacrucis Migrante 2024 left the border with Guatemala a week ago in search of reaching central and northern Mexico. Undocumented immigrants from Central, South America and the Caribbean, mainly, warn that on the southern border there are no conditions to stay there and the immigration processes can take months.
Original article published in La Jornada on April 1st, 2024.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.