TEHRAN, Apr 27 - Hundreds of migrants hoping to reach the United States boarded a freight train in southern Mexico late on Thursday, frustrated by efforts to slow their progress by the Mexican government, which is under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - The risky move to board the train, known as “La Bestia” (The Beast), followed a mass breakout of migrants from a holding centre in the southern border city of Tapachula on Thursday night.
The government estimated some 1,300 people escaped but said a majority later returned to the centre.
Men, women and children from various countries boarded the slow train as it pulled out of the town of Arriaga in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexican media reported.
Migration authorities said at least 395 people had boarded the train.
The large group descended from the train on Friday after it reached the town of Ixtepec to the northwest of Arriaga.
“We hope our God above will keep helping us. We had to keep moving forwards,” said Michael Hernandez, a Honduran, after disembarking.
“They won’t let us walk, so we climbed on the train. It’s our only option.”
Erick Morazan, 28, a Honduran migrant in Zapata, a few towns north of Ixtepec, said he knew several people on the train, adding that he had wanted to jump aboard himself.
“I know it’s very dangerous, but this is the life of a migrant,” he told Reuters by telephone.
Source: Reuters
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