La Concordia.- Faced with the dispersal of migrant caravans by agents of the National Migration Institute (INM) and the National Guard, hundreds of foreigners, mainly Haitians, have chosen to change their route in their attempt to leave Chiapas, and hopefully cross the country bound for the northern border.
Instead of following the coastal route, towards Huixtla and Mapastepec, where at least four caravans were violently disbanded earlier this month, they now opt for the Frailesca de Chiapas route.
In recent days, groups of migrants have been seen leaving Tapachula for the Sierra Mariscal de Chiapas, passing through the border municipalities of Motozintla, Frontera Comalapa and Chicomuselo, then joining the Frailesca, through the towns of La Concord, Villacorzo, Villaflores, Ocozocoautla, until arriving at the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez.
In La Concordia, hundreds of migrants are seen climbing El Chalán, a platform that transports trucks, goods and people from the L’Angostura dam, where more than 350 migrants passed through on Saturday night alone.
King Juan Carlos Ocampo Martínez, ejidatario of the Ignacio Zaragoza colony, and crew member of the Chalán, recalled that the biggest trip he made was on Saturday night with more than 350 migrants, however, foreigners continue to pass in groups of 50 and 100 people without being weighed down, he said, because “they are people in need who are looking for a better life.”
Interviewed migrants expressed their gratitude to the Chiapas for the good treatment, as along the way some give them food or a coin to continue their journey.
On the negative side they pointed out that every time they run into cops, they extort them.
“Many of us are extorted by state and municipal police, motorcycle taxi drivers, collectives, even in hotels the cost of services goes up for us,” said one of the migrants who asked for anonymity.