Mexican immigration authorities were attacked by members of a new Central American caravan which illegally crossed from Guatemala on Monday. The group of at least 500 pelted officials with rocks, causing damage to vehicles and minor injuries at a roadblock.
Mexican immigration officials (INAMI) in Chiapas attempted to turn back a caravan which arrived approximately a week ago at Guatemala’s southern border with Mexico. The group was growing daily and demanded passage via international border bridge in Suchiate, according to local reporting. The group was told by Mexican officials that the issuance of one-year humanitarian visas was suspended and migrants would need to return to their countries of origin to contact Mexican consulates, according to another report. The migrants were reportedly warned that those who crossed traveled without proper documentation would be deported. Two smaller migrant groups of 150 and 200 were recently rounded up by INAMI and Federal Police.
After several days on the Guatemalan border, the migrants forced their way across the international bridge into Mexico and traveled on foot to Ciudad Hidalgo and then Tapachula. After passing through Tapachula while heading north for approximately three hours, the group came upon 30 INAMI agents and Federal Police at a blocked roadway.
Mexican INAMI agents initially attempted to talk the migrants into surrendering, but they refused. Several members of the group then turned to violence and were able to break the blockade by forcing officials to retreat after throwing rocks. Breitbart News obtained cell phone video footage of the incident.
According to Breitbart local law enforcement sources, once the migrants forced their way into Mexico, immigration officials offered shelter, medical attention, food, and security in a local migrant center if they were willing to turn themselves in and register properly in the country–but these offers were refused. The migrant group made clear, authorities say, that they had no intention of remaining in Mexico. This group is made up of Hondurans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians.
Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce has worked in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, working out of the Consulate for the United States Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program, where he was the Regional Program Manager for Northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas.) You can follow him on Twitter. He can be reached at robertrarce@gmail.com