Migrant Situation on Mexican Border Complicated by Storm

The situation of several thousand Honduran migrants trying to enter Mexico on their way to the United States is complicated on Saturday by a tropical storm which has already unleashed heavy rain in Tapachula, its entrance gate from Guatemala.

The National Meteorological Service reported the formation of the storm, located 180 kilometers south of Tapachula, Chiapas. It has winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of 85 kilometers, and it's moving towards the northwest at four kilometers per hour. It will generate heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Several thousand members of the Honduran Migrant Caravan are attempting to enter through Tapachula and other points on the Guatemala-Mexico border.

On Friday there were violent incidents on the borderline when hundreds of migrants tried to enter by force, which caused several injuries, including Mexican federal police and a journalist from the Mexican newspaper El Universal.

Mexican authorities are facing a dilemma under pressure from the United States and also by the avalanche of the marching Central Americans.

They even requested the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in order to process refugee applications from migrants, including women and minors.

However, between January and August, deportations of illegal migrants from Mexico, mostly Hondurans, have increased.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Mexico City on Friday and in joint appearance with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, said the caravan is a challenge to the sovereignty of his country.

At the same time, US President Donald Trump praised the Mexican Federal Police for containing the caravan on the Guatemalan side, after the violent incidents took place on Friday.

It should be reiterated that officers of the Federal Police and the INM are unarmed, so that any form of violence against them breaks the agreements reached in previous days with the people in charge of the caravan, the text underscores.

He added that in the municipality of Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, personnel of the National Institute of Migration attends to the immigrants and processes their entrance requests; It also helps the vulnerable population, such as women, girls and boys who need it.