The police are still unaware of his whereabouts By A Cuban migrant successfully escaped after being caught stealing at a Chedraui supermarket in the city of Tapachula On Friday, the Cuban, who entered the establishment accompanied by a woman, was caught on camera stealing products from the store, local media outlet Diario del Sur reported the Cuban was confronted by the private security of the establishment and managed to escape before the arrival of the municipal police The report does not clarify the reason why the individual was identified as Cuban neither the identity of the migrant nor the nature of the products he attempted to steal has been disclosed Authorities are unaware of the thief's whereabouts and accidents that dozens of compatriots have fallen victim to In January, a Cuban was arrested in the city of Cancun, Mexico for his alleged involvement in a robbery of a residence the Cuban citizen in association with Amir “N” according to the robbery victim who reported it to the police The Cuban migrant managed to escape after a struggle with the private security at the Chedraui supermarket in Tapachula Cuban migrants face multiple risks in Mexico the insecurity conditions in areas like Tapachula have led many to take extra precautions limiting their daily activities to avoid becoming victims of crime The immigration policies of the United States especially under the administration of Donald Trump have complicated the situation for Cuban migrants who have often chosen to seek asylum in Mexico due to the restrictions on entering the United States This has overwhelmed the asylum offices in Mexico and created uncertainty among migrants The Mexican authorities have conducted operations to rescue migrants in risky situations the response to asylum requests is often slow and protection is not always adequate to ensure their safety and rights in the country A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis A migrant caravan made up of some 1,000 people left Tapachula eight days after another caravan departed the same city nationals of various countries including Venezuela aim first to reach Mexico City before continuing the journey to the Mexico-United States border they walked around 26 kilometers from Tapachula to reach the town of Huehuetán The migrants told media outlets that they decided to leave Tapachula — located near the border with Guatemala — due to a lack of jobs and insecurity in southern Mexico They also said they had become fed up with waiting for appointments with United States immigration authorities which migrants have been attempting to schedule from southern Mexico using the U.S In late August, the Mexican government said that bus services from Tapachula and Villahermosa, Tabasco border would be provided to migrants who had already been granted an asylum appointment by U.S But the appointments are proving hard to get “We’re leaving because there is no work here we need to advance,” Mario Hernández defended the right of migrants to travel through Mexico to seek asylum in the United States “What we’re doing is not at all illegal,” he told the news agency EFE Batista called on the National Guard to provide “support” to the migrant caravan as they headed north even though that security force is better known for detaining migrants He indicated that he and his family joined the migrant caravan for safety reasons “It’s better to travel in a group than alone Another Colombian man told the newspaper Milenio that he and the other migrants are “vulnerable people” who “simply want God to lead” them on their journey through Mexico also called on President Claudia Sheinbaum to lend them a “hand … in order to be able to continue.” Other migrants called for health workers to accompany the caravan which includes pregnant women as well as people from countries beyond the Western Hemisphere Police officers in vehicles accompanied the migrants on Sunday Jeison, a Venezuelan man, said that he and other migrants left their countries due to a lack of work opportunities and high prices. Crime, political problems and climate change are among the other migration push factors for those seeking to reach the United States via Mexico The departure of the 1,000-strong migrant caravan on Sunday came after around 800 migrants left Tapachula on Oct. 5, four days after Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president The first caravan is currently in northwestern Chiapas not far from the state’s border with Oaxaca La Jornada reported that another migrant caravan is currently being organized with plans to leave Tapachula this coming Sunday It remains to be seen whether the first two migrant caravans of the Sheinbaum presidency achieve their ultimate goal of reaching the United States’ southern border One thing is certain: their journey won’t be easy hitch rides on trucks and jump aboard freight trains to get to the Mexico-U.S The journey is a dangerous one. Migrants have been involved in countless truck and train accidents in Mexico and are frequently preyed upon by criminal groups whose members have been known to forcibly recruit men and rape women Traveling in a large caravan might make the trip safer but such groups typically break up as they move through the country Migrants also run the risk of being detained in Mexico and deported back to their country of origin At least one member of the caravan that left Tapachula on Sunday already knows that risk well Honduran Carlos González told La Jornada that he was deported two months ago when he attempted to seek asylum in the United States As a result of a new United States border policy that took effect in June border officers to send migrants back to Mexico or their countries of origin even if a migrant believes they have a worthy asylum claim The number of migrants attempting to illegally enter the U.S. via Mexico declined significantly after the implementation of the policy which prevents migrants from making asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border at times when crossings between legal ports of entry surge said it wasn’t possible for him to stay in Honduras because he has received threats from gangs His wife and daughter are already in the U.S “I want to see my daughter, … she’s eight. She [and my wife] escaped from our country two years ago because they were threatened by the 18th street gang,” he said Earlier this month, shortly after the Mexican army shot and killed six migrants in Chiapas President Sheinbaum said that her government was committed to respecting the human rights of migrants and addressing the root causes of migration Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador frequently made the same remarks during his six-year term in government Sheinbaum acknowledged that the government has a strategy to stop migrants from reaching the northern border and crossing into the United States She recognized that the strategy includes “repatriation flights” or deportations While the restrictive border policy implemented by the Biden administration in June has been cited as a major factor in the reduction of migrant encounters at the Mexico-U.S. border, USA Today reported on Sunday that Mexico was “the U.S government’s secret weapon in cutting illegal crossings.” thanks to a carefully negotiated — but unwritten — agreement between neighbors executed late last year by the Biden-Harris administration,” the newspaper reported because it’s in Mexico’s economic interest to keep the border chaos-free and exports flowing north And because the political stakes are high for Mexico in the upcoming U.S ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC A person walks past a pride flag at Casa Frida Itzel Aguilar teaches English to LGBTQ+ migrants at Casa Frida A religious image hangs in a room at Casa Frida Migrants receive English lessons at Casa Frida Pride flags and a map of Mexico adorn a wall in a room at Casa Frida Mexico (AP) — Ana Esquivel no longer feels like her heart stops every time she sees a police officer “We’ve been told that they won’t harass or mistreat us here you could spend the night detained,” said the 50-year-old transgender woman She fled Cuba fearing for her safety and arrived in Mexico earlier this year “They leave due to discrimination and violence based on their gender identity,” de la Cruz said “Beyond economic reasons or the American Dream Hundreds of migrants no longer flood a public square waiting for a response to their refugee applications And though lines still form around the commission’s headquarters “The change was substantial,” Bermúdez said people started heading back to their countries.” help requests addressed to Casa Frida have not dropped “All of the people we support were victims of violence,” said Sebastián Rodríguez Casa Frida staff review on average 80 applications per month nonbinary and transgender migrants are frequently vulnerable to attacks The shelter doesn’t have enough resources to help everyone but they bring on about 70 new people monthly and can support up to 200 LGBTQ+ at any given time Transgender women often dress as men to avoid mockery and being spotted by criminals If they leave and try to rent a room elsewhere landlords seem unhospitable or demand unthinkable fees “That’s why programs like ours are needed,” Rodríguez said about 40% of its population was affected by the end of CBP One app and the mass cancellation of appointments “Some people feel discouraged and hopeless,” Rodríguez said “But many have applied for asylum in Mexico.” Casa Frida can provide a roof and meals for up to 12 people for three months The organization’s other programs can help several more migrants by providing legal guidance on remaining in Mexico advice on finding temporary jobs with inclusive environments psychological counseling and tips for renting apartments under fair conditions “Most people just think of us as a shelter but providing refuge is only the core of what we do,” Rodríguez said “Our goal is to reintegrate violence victims into society.” The shelter operates in three locations: Mexico City where it was founded in 2020 and mostly supports locals; Tapachula where those at grave risk are transferred to be safe at an undisclosed address was welcomed at the Mexico City station in February He arrived from a state near the capital when harassment by family members became unbearable All went well until border patrol officers detained him in Arizona and he was deported But it was dangerous for him to stay in his hometown “Someone told me about this shelter because I wanted to find a place where I could feel at peace,” said Jiménez he started working at a nearby restaurant and hopes to save money that will enable him to find a home of his own Esquivel applied for Mexican refugee status Around 85% of Casa Frida’s migrants get a positive response “I want to stay here and become part of this country,” Esquivel said “I want to do it the right way and I’m grateful to Casa Frida for helping me get there.” She learned about the shelter from another trans woman who also fled Cuba after feeling threatened by police “I was nearly arrested,” said Rachel Pérez she was accused of prostitution — which is not illegal under Cuban law — for repeatedly walking alone at night but she kept going out until she was detained and transferred to a male prison but those were very difficult times I won’t forget.” Staff at Casa Frida constantly updates their protocols to help migrants like Esquivel But keeping operations running has proved challenging due to the U.S “We’ve been looking everywhere to find new sustainability alternatives,” she said “We are part of a network focused on LGBT mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean — 13 organizations in 10 countries — and at least 50% of them took a hit.” Funding campaigns and ongoing meetings with European and local leaders might bring a solution but concerns haven’t ceased and the team could significantly diminish its operations “Nothing is written in stone and we don’t know what could happen next,” De la Cruz said Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Mexico (AP) — About 1,500 migrants formed a new caravan Wednesday in southern Mexico The migrants are mainly from Central and South America Some say they are hoping to reach the United States before Donald Trump’s inauguration in January saying they think it might be more difficult after that They started out walking from the city of Tapachula where thousands of migrants are stranded because they do not have permission to cross further into Mexico desperate hope for poorer migrants who do not have the money to pay smugglers If migrants try to cross Mexico alone or in small groups they are often either detained by authorities and sent back to southern Mexico there is safety in numbers: it is hard or impossible for immigration agents to detain groups of hundreds of migrants So police and immigration agents often try to pick off smaller groups and wait for the main body of the caravan to tire itself out the caravans stop or fall apart within 150 miles It would mean 16 days of straight walking even for an adult with no rest stops; many of the migrants come with their children Since migrants usually cannot find work to support themselves in Tapachula most of the foreigners trapped there are desperate to leave hoping to reach the border before Trump’s Jan that’s why we are going in hopes of getting an appointment quicker so we are able to cross before he (Trump) takes office,” said Yotzeli Peña This year, in a bid to stop people from gathering at the border to claim asylum, the U.S. government expanded areas where migrants can apply online for appointments to enter the United States to a large swath of southern Mexico The CBP One cellphone app was instituted to make asylum claims more orderly About 1,450 appointments are made available daily encouraging migrants to get an appointment before they show up at the border But the service was only available in northern and central Mexico officials hoped it would stem the rush north But some migrants still want to be close to the border so that if they do get one of the cherished appointments they can get to it quickly and not risk missing it The biggest caravans formed in 2018 and 2019 Mexican officials helped out some of the migrants by arranging buses to border cities but that created a backlash in those communities Groups from those original caravans did eventually reach the border In caravans since then, most participants have sought out as many hitch-hiking or paid rides as they can, and often swarm empty trucks to hitch a ride on empty freight platforms. But that has become much harder as Mexican authorities discouraged buses, taxis and trucks from stopping to pick up migrants authorities have eventually offered temporary transit permits to dissolve the caravans located in the southeastern state of Chiapas Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) offers vital support to individuals seeking safety and refuge For many people leaving their homes in Central and South America Mexico becomes an important stop as some choose to stay while others continue toward the United States JRS/USA Advocacy Officer Josh Utter visited Tapachula to meet with the JRS Mexico team and to connect with individuals participating in our legal and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services several people shared their migration experiences with him We are privileged to share these stories with you in the coming months fled Honduras with her husband and three kids After speaking out against a dangerous individual in their community the family received threats against their lives They arrived at the Belen Migrant Shelter with 50 pesos and small portion of food Paola explained they were robbed before arriving at the shelter and a friend contacted me and offered me her support she felt more confident about taking the risk and moving to Mexico Mexico’s Commission of Refugee Assistance (COMAR) connected Paola with JRS Paola began meeting with a lawyer and a psychologist a two-fold approach incorporated into several JRS offices to best accompany and respond to the immediate needs of those forced to flee their homes and loss of documents are frequent and life-threatening challenges that many migrants face as they travel through South there is a change,” Paola said noting how the support from JRS has helped her build stability and rebuild her life “I remember I was a few days from the birth of my child…[we] could only buy a package of diapers…JRS called and provided support to go to the grocery store and get enough to eat for a couple of months She and her family have decided to stay in Tapachula where they have been able to establish permanent residence Paola recently learned the person that forced them to flee their homes has also left Honduras and begun traveling north JRS/USA will publish a policy brief detailing JRS Mexico’s work to accompany The brief will also provide policy recommendation governments to improve welcome and reception services for people seeking safety Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The city of Tapachula, a major transit point in Mexico's southern border has reported the highest levels of perceived insecurity in the country with organized crime competing to control drug and human trafficking routes from South America According to the latest National Urban Public Safety Survey (ENSU) from Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) 9 in 10 Tapachula residents (91.9%) feel unsafe I don't know if it brings a surge in drugs All the northern gangs have come to operate in Tapachula and I don't know if there's any authority that will put a stop to it" shot dead by two gunmen when he was in his van just after he had finished celebrating Mass based on the information we have," said Sheinbaum during a press conference on Tuesday "It is important to work to prevent a situation like this from happening again (Perez' homicide) and to avoid displacements and prevent the extortions and crimes that are occurring." told EFE that residents' distrust of law enforcement has only worsened security and human rights in the southern border since Tapachula has a fluctuating population of around 70,000 unregistered people from over 20 nationalities corrupt police see fertile ground for extorsion On October 8, President Sheinbaum presented her administration's plan to combat violence and crime vowing to strengthen the National Guard police force and boost intelligence gathering in a bid to reduce murders Is "NORTH" The Best Surf Photography Book Ever Made? From Tubes To Turns, Jai Glindeman's Surfing is a Treat to Behold Gerry Lopez Goes Deep With Justin Jay On The Plug Podcast NewsAll NewsEventsBig Wave NewsWorld Surf LeagueEnvironmentalIndustryWave PoolsPosts List ‘He Was Such a Legend’: A Decade After His Death, Shawn “Barney” Barron’s Spirit Shines in Colorful Air Show Hawaiian Big Wave Icon Clyde Aikau Passes Away at 75 LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website The Inspiring True Story of the Australian Couple Changing the Lives of Orphans and Street Kids in Tapachula Mexico July 2010) Somewhere Near Tapachulais the heartfelt true story of Mision Mexico a children's refuge started by Australian couple Alan and Pam Skuse this inspiring documentary focuses on Mision Mexico Boardriders Club Directed and produced by Australian surf filmmakers Stefan Hunt and Jonno Durrant of Surfing 50 States the Australian and US tour of the film has raised $100,000 for Mision Mexico Somewhere Near Tapachula is 100% non-profit thanks to sponsorship from Hurley Jonno and Stefan have toured the film for 4 months raising funds for Mision Mexico through ticket sales Stefan and Jonno have just returned to Tapachula over a year since their initial filming and volunteering trip to Mision Mexico and the 54 kids with a huge check for $100,000 This money will be used as a future fund for the kids to attend university and follow their dreams. This includes opening a surf shop and surf school to teach locals how to surf and employ the kids of Mision Mexico The kids were also presented with eight high-performance surfboards donated by Bob Hurley packed into a huge board bag from Ocean & Earth “We are so stoked to have reached our goal of raising $100,000” as we now consider these kids our 54 brothers and sisters To be able to raise this money while sharing their amazing story is a double blessing.” “We really want to thank the thousands of people who helped us make this happen by helping organizing screenings donating money or spreading the amazing story of Mision Mexico” been officially selected for nine film festivals and been acquired to screen on Outside TV There are more screenings and film festivals planned combined with TV commissioning fees the total funds raised will be well over $100,000 Shady Acres Productions and of course Pam and Alan Skuse for beginning this phenomenal story Jonno Durrant – Producer of Somewhere Near Tapachula sntmovie@gmail.com   +1.415.490.8773            OR Stefan Hunt – Director of Somewhere Near Tapachula His mother is seeking help on social media A young Cuban identified as Julio Alberto Díaz Pérez has not communicated with his mother for a week from the city of Tapachula According to a report by Yulaine Pérez, the mother of the young man, until April 18, she and her son had daily contact, as stated by the media outlet La Tijera on Facebook the young immigrant has not responded to calls or messages which has raised alarms among his family in Cuba in a desperate plea for help through social media is asking anyone who may have information about her son's whereabouts to contact her at phones 56938587 and 54368221 The Tapachula region is one of the main concentration points for migrants in Mexico seeking to reach the United States Due to the high vulnerability faced by those in transit —including detentions or extortions— temporary disappearances cause great anxiety among families Especially after several Cubans have been victims of kidnappings and even some have been killed by criminal groups in recent months it was revealed that a Cuban mother and her teenage son have been missing in Mexico since late December 2024 left Cuba over a year ago heading for the United States a woman was also reported missing in the aforementioned border city in Mexico a mother of two and originally from Vertientes as confirmed by her relatives in social media comments The young Cuban who went missing in Tapachula is Julio Alberto Díaz Pérez has reported that she has not had any contact with him since April 18 raising alarms among his relatives in Cuba Tapachula is a dangerous place for migrants due to the high incidence of kidnappings This city is a crucial transit point for those trying to reach the United States but it is also a place where migrants face significant vulnerabilities including the risk of becoming victims of criminal groups The families of the missing have turned to social media to seek help and share information They have circulated contact numbers so that anyone with information about the missing can get in touch they have created groups on messaging platforms to coordinate their search efforts The Cuban government has informed families that "they must wait" regarding the disappearances in Mexico but has not provided concrete actions to address these cases This lack of effective intervention has been a source of frustration and distress for the families of the disappeared Just hours before Donald Trump was to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday a migrant caravan departed the southern Mexican border town of Tapachula with the intention of reaching the United States Roughly 1,500 migrants departed Tapachula before dawn and trekked about 26 kilometers to the municipality of Huehuetan where they planned on resting for the day Members of the caravan — the fourth such group to head north from the Guatemala border during the first three weeks of the year — told the newspaper Excelsior that they would resume their march north on Monday night Trump will likely have declared a national emergency at the U.S southern border as part of the sweeping crackdown on immigration that he has promised to pursue Trump is expected to issue around 10 executive actions on his first day in office to start reshaping U.S military troops to the southern border with Mexico The groundbreaking CBP One mobile app that allowed noncitizens to schedule appointments with U.S Customs and Border Protection has reportedly been discontinued by the incoming administration The Trump administration has shut down the CBP One phone app for migrants The Biden-era process allowed nearly 1 million migrants to enter the U.S Reporting from my colleague @camiloreports https://t.co/QoohkOpiZb — Cristina Corujo (@cristina_corujo) January 20, 2025 Several migrants told the newspaper El Diario del Sur that nothing would deter them from trying to cross into the United States “We are not afraid of Donald Trump’s threats … because God is with us,” said Luis said they are determined to overcome all obstacles migrants don’t want to be stuck in Tapachula,” he told the newspaper El Diario del Sur “We’ve asked [Mexico’s] National Migration Institute (INM) for the necessary documents to allow us to travel north where we’ll try to cross into the United States.” Even before migrants reach the U.S. border, they’ll face challenges from Mexican authorities who have begun clamping down on migrants headed toward the U.S A new migrant policy referred to as “dispersion and exhaustion” has seen Mexican immigration authorities offer exhausted migrants who have been walking for several weeks bus tickets to cities farther north they are then dispersed at various cities not located along the traditional migrant route where they are often unable to get proper documents to continue their travels to the U.S is seriously affecting the Cuban community which is taking extreme precautions due to the rise in kidnappings and extortions is facing a rising wave of insecurity with an increase in kidnappings which has prompted Cuban immigrants stranded in the area to take extra precautions and limit their daily activities Local press confirmed that extortion and kidnapping against immigrants waiting in Tapachula for their travel permits to cross Mexico have increased At least six Cubans were kidnapped in December, and several have been missing for weeks The disappearance of those six Cubans last December with no information about their whereabouts to date has created an atmosphere of fear among migrants Many islanders have chosen to go out only for essentials avoiding entertainment venues such as bars or nightclubs Raúl, a Cuban migrant, explained that he only goes out to work or buy food, trying to return home as quickly as possible. "I don't want to risk what has happened to other Cubans," he stated in an interview with the local Diario del Sur has changed his habits for fear of violence they talked to us about the dangers in Mexico It’s better if we don’t go out partying,” he said noted that the situation has forced her to change her routine limiting herself to going to the supermarket and returning directly home which is why I avoid being outside,” she stated So far, the authorities have not provided any information about the six missing Cubans creating even more uncertainty within the migrant community But the alarming situation is not limited to the area where the immigrants are waiting but also extends to the rural areas of Chiapas At least six coffee-growing communities in the highlands of Tapachula have decided to organize themselves and reactivate the Rural Auxiliary Police for their protection reported that insecurity has reached critical levels in areas such as La Patria "The government has abandoned us," he emphasized The increase in insecurity in Tapachula is mainly due to the rising activity of organized crime that exploits the vulnerability of migrants combined with the lack of effective control by local authorities and extortions has reached alarming levels especially Cubans who are waiting in the city for their travel permits Insecurity has forced Cuban migrants in Tapachula to take extra precautions limiting their daily activities and avoiding public places to minimize risks Many of them fear being kidnapped or extorted creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear Authorities have not provided information about the missing Cubans increasing the distress among the migrants Six coffee-growing communities in the highlands of Tapachula have decided to reactivate the Rural Auxiliary Police as a measure to protect themselves from the rising insecurity This initiative aims to provide a degree of local protection in light of the lack of effective responses from government authorities authorities have not provided information regarding the kidnappings and disappearances of Cubans which creates further uncertainty and concern among migrants the issue of insecurity remains a significant challenge in the Tapachula region with an average of about 1,000 requests per day Cubans and Haitians lead the asylum requests before the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR) in Tapachula after being stranded due to the restrictive immigration policies implemented by U.S The offices of COMAR receive an average of 1,000 people daily, mostly from Cuban and Haitian origins. Tapachula is the city with the highest number of asylum requests in the entire country, highlighted a report from the Mexican newspaper Diario del Sur Migrants like the Cuban Óscar Contreras stated to the publication that their intention is not to reach the United States but to stay in Mexico to rebuild their lives “Most Cubans leave with the intention of finding freedom and not necessarily to reach the United States that's my case; I am staying to live in Mexico and I'm in the process of relocating to the central part of the country and they pay much better than here,” she expressed Such a decision aligns with those of other compatriots who, whether in search of the American dream or not, find in Mexico the support to improve their living conditions and has now transformed into a destination in itself: the “Mexican dream” Contreras stated that the situation in Cuba is so critical that even Haiti seems like a better option Referring to the mass exodus of Cubans amid the deep economic crisis and increasing government repression in their country he stated that "it is causing the island to be left without people as everyone wants to seek better living conditions and live freely." He added that he plans to bring his two children and wife "so they can live as people but first I need to have my Mexican papers and I'm here applying for asylum in Tapachula." the Haitian Farah Leclerc recounted that violence he sells water and food to other migrants from his homeland while he waits to regularize his status He stated that migrants "are very poorly paid," but it helps them get ahead once they have their residency documents or are legally in the country they will be able to earn much more in a stable job Both witnesses agreed that Mexico represents an opportunity to rebuild their lives although the migration process is slow and job opportunities are scarce their priority is to legalize their status and gain access to more dignified employment The immigration policies implemented by President Trump, which restrict the entry of migrants through the U.S.-Mexico border, have complicated the situation for Cuban emigrants and those from other nationalities, leading many to consider staying in Mexico, which has overwhelmed the asylum offices in the southern part of that country Measures taken by Washington resulted in the irregular migration of Cubans to the United States recording extremely low figures in March 2025 according to official data released by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) government has made it clear that it will strengthen controls at entry points and limit options for irregular entry which has forced many Cubans to reconsider their migration strategies or seek alternatives in other countries A few days ago, the Consul General of Cuba in Veracruz, Elisa Martínez Martínez, stated that requests for repatriation by Cuban citizens have notably increased in recent months The Government of Mexico committed to accepting the reception of Cuban migrants deported by the U.S who cannot be sent directly to their country of origin According to data from COMAR, in 2024 there were more than 16,000 asylum applications by Cuban citizens making them the second largest group of applicants Due to the restrictive immigration policies implemented by U.S many Cubans have chosen to seek asylum in Tapachula They aim to settle in Mexico as an alternative to the "American Dream," which has now transformed into the "Mexican Dream." The growing economic crisis and repression in Cuba also drive Cubans to search for better living conditions in Mexico Cuban asylum applications in Mexico have overwhelmed the offices of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) in Tapachula more than 16,000 asylum applications were filed by Cuban citizens making them the second largest group of applicants after Hondurans a high percentage of rejections has been reported Donald Trump's immigration policies have significantly restricted the entry of migrants into the United States leading to an increase in asylum applications in Mexico These measures have resulted in a decrease in illegal crossings of Cubans into the United States forcing many to reconsider their plans and choose to settle in Mexico as a more viable option Cuban individuals looking to settle in Mexico face several challenges including the overcrowding of asylum offices the sluggish pace of immigration procedures many Cubans find low-paying jobs while waiting for the regularization of their immigration status they believe that Mexico offers a chance to rebuild their lives away from the repression in Cuba expanding the air connectivity options between the two countries which will be operated by the airline Viva Aerobús starting April 1 will facilitate the transfer of passengers between that border city he emphasized that the Tapachula International Airport has established itself as the most important airport terminal on the southern border The Tapachula-Cuba route will operate three times a week providing passengers with more travel options and fostering economic development and connectivity in the region This announcement is part of efforts to expand air connectivity from Tapachula and historical mobility figures have been recorded at the local airport reflecting a positive trend in the tourism and service sectors in the region Mexico is one of the countries with the highest air connectivity to Cuba with flights operated by both national and international airlines Some of the most frequently used routes include the following: Mexico City - Havana (Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobús) Cancún - Havana / Camagüey (Viva Aerobús) Mérida - Havana (Viva Aerobús) The new air route between Tapachula and Havana will begin operations on April 1 This flight will include a stopover in Monterrey and will operate three times a week facilitating the transfer of passengers between Mexico and Cuba the new route is a response to the growth of the Cuban community in Tapachula and the tourist interest of Mexicans in Havana the Tapachula International Airport has established itself as an important connection point on Mexico's southern border The Tapachula-Cuba route is seen as an opportunity to boost economic development and connectivity in the region it is expected to stimulate tourism and services in both Tapachula and the surrounding areas attracting travelers from both Mexico and Guatemala People waiting in Tapachula by Guatemala border fear Trump’s election could worsen crisis and spur northward flight Tito subtly pointed out the watchful human smugglers leaning against a wall They had already tried to sell their services to Tito, who was on his way to the US but, like everyone else there, found himself stuck in Tapachula, a town in southern Mexico that has become a global way station. Tito, who only gave his first name, left Haiti for Chile in 2019, where he set up a company selling wooden pallets and met a Haitian woman, with whom he had a daughter, but the pandemic put him of business. He set out for the US, promising his family he would send money home. “It hurts me to see these people with their children,” said Tito, gesturing to a nearby campsite, where grubby little legs poked out of tent flaps. “I couldn’t bear to have my kid do this with me.” Read moreBy the border with Guatemala, Tapachula is where Mexico has strived to contain people heading north, acting as the US’s immigration enforcer Yet president-elect Donald Trump is now demanding Mexico do more – with the threat of a day-one 25% tax on all imports if it fails “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump blustered last week After a phone call with Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump claimed she had “agreed to stop migration through Mexico” and that this was “effectively closing our southern border” Sheinbaum clarified that Mexico did not plan to close the border, but assured Trump that Mexico was already “taking care of” migrant caravans several of which have set out from Tapachula since he won re-election in November – the latest on Monday Mexico has been controlling migrant flows on behalf of the US for years Where migrants passing through Central American countries simply receive a document that allows them to pass through the country in Mexico they face a complex and shifting migration bureaucracy that limits their mobility This currently centres on the US CBP-One smartphone app which people must use to request an appointment that then allows them to cross Mexico People without an appointment who are intercepted by Mexico’s militarised police force, the Guardia Nacional, may be bussed back to Tapachula, while those who make it to the US border are often unable to request asylum helped slash the number of arrivals at the US-Mexico border by 40% from an all-time peak in December 2023 local human rights organisations estimate there is currently a floating population of perhaps 50,000 migrants in Tapachula which has a resident population of 350,000 A man gives milk to his daughter on the street in Tapachula Photograph: Matias Delacroix/APThere are three main shelters which can hold roughly 1,000 people between them “The truth is that there is not the capacity to attend to everyone,” said América Pérez Tito arrived in Mexico 15 months ago and says he has been waiting for a CBP-One appointment on and off ever since “Some people come and get an appointment the next day,” said Tito “I thought about going across with a coyote,” said Tito immigration officials detained him and sent him back to Tapachula But people like Tito have become a exploitable source of economic life for the city itself this trapped population means cheap labour Tito periodically earns 250 pesos (roughly £10) for informal 11-hour shifts in construction “I’ve had two Mexican fares in the last week,” said one taxi driver “It’s thanks to the migrants that we have work.” “You’d almost think this was a tourist destination,” said Raúl Caporal an organisation that supports LGBTQ+ refugees The money to be made off migrants has drawn crime and violence to what was once a relatively peaceful part of Mexico It is now the rule that people are briefly kidnapped on the short journey between the border and Tapachula, and released in exchange for a fixed fee, before being given a stamp on their wrist to indicate they have paid their way people are surrounded by a whirl of false information about the pathways for migration to the US sometimes put out by scammers or coyotes that then offer their services as an alternative People try to advance towards the northern border in Mexico’s Ciudad Hidalgo Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesThe risk of a more prolonged kidnapping followed by extortion of one’s relatives in the US “There are people keeping watch in the public spaces of Tapachula,” said Pérez Sometimes relatives post adverts for missing people on Facebook groups or contact local human rights organisations for help “But there’s no figure for how many people disappear on the way,” said Caporal All of this has launched Tapachula to the top of the list for cities with the greatest perception of insecurity in Mexico “You have to be very careful here,” said Tito combined with deployment of the military to control migration created the conditions for a massacre when soldiers fired on a smuggling vehicle just outside Tapachula on 1 October According to the military, the soldiers first heard detonations, then responded by opening fire. Of 33 migrants, six were killed and 12 injured. The government is investigating, but human rights groups have expressed concern over their lack of access to the survivors. “There is a policy of silence to control the narration of the events, so that there is no independent version of what took place,” said Enrique Vidal, of the Fray Matías Human Rights Centre. The Executive Commission for Victims Assistance in Tapachula, the government agency advising the survivors, did not respond to a request for an interview. The mounting risks of staying in Tapachula, and the re-election of Trump, have accelerated the rate of migrant caravans setting out, with at least seven, some several thousand strong, leaving in recent weeks. “People are looking for safety in numbers,” said Vidal. But Trump’s demands that Mexico redouble its efforts as the US’s immigration enforcer could exacerbate the desperation and predation seen in Tapachula, deepening the humanitarian crisis and gifting more money and power to organised crime groups. “People are afraid that CBP-1 will cease to exist, that there will be more restrictions,” said Pérez. “But then again, they are very clear about their objective. They know they want to get to the US – and they will.” The uncertainty is growing among the relatives of a group of missing Cuban migrants in Tapachula arrived in Tapachula on December 18th and since then New revelations published by the aforementioned media report that Cuban migrants stayed in a house located on Sixth Avenue North when at 8:41 in the morning they were to board a boat heading to Juchitán His plan was to continue overland to Mexico City was organized by “Chapín,” a man who claimed to know the safe route in exchange for a thousand dollars none of them are currently known to be missing recalls that her daughter's last message via WhatsApp said: “Breakfast has arrived the woman has heard nothing from her daughter or her grandson and the messages don't go through,” Margarita told Diario del Sur with a quivering voice although the news does not arrive to soothe the heart of the anxious mother stated that she had contacted "Chapín," but the coyote initially provided her with contradictory answers he told her that they were being held by the National Guard later in the hands of the Prosecutor's Office she stopped responding and insisted that she didn’t know anything else “She told us that she had nothing more to do with them that they wanted to harm her and that they had taken away her clients She said she doesn’t know who has them,” says Mayelin the family members have created a group on WhatsApp These cases add to a worrying trend in Mexico where there has been a reported increase in the disappearances of migrants The situation in Tapachula reflects the risks faced by those trying to reach the United States exposing them to dangers such as human trafficking networks and criminal violence The migrant community and their families are experiencing moments of distress due to the lack of information and concrete actions from the authorities Meiling Álvarez Bravo and her son Samei Armando Reyes Álvarez have been missing since December 21 when they were allegedly set to board a boat heading to Juchitán They were traveling with four other Cubans has expressed her concern and the lack of responses from the authorities Cuban migrants in Mexico face risks such as kidnappings Many fall victim to so-called "coyotes," who promise to transport them to the U.S The migration crisis has heightened the vulnerability of migrants to these dangers The families of the missing are using social media and media outlets to spread information and seek help They have created groups on platforms like Whatsapp to share information and receive updates They have also reached out to journalists and public figures to raise awareness of their cases and pressure the authorities The response from Mexican authorities has been limited with investigations that often do not yield concrete results Although search alerts have been issued in some cases the lack of effective outcomes creates frustration and distress among the affected families as such acts of violence seem to be multiplying in the area A 42-year-old Cuban was attacked on Tuesday night with a knife in the heart of the city of Tapachula The attacker managed to escape without a trace The Cuban -whose identity has not been revealed by the Mexican press- sustained several injuries The violent incident occurred in the vicinity of Benito Juárez Park in front of Central Park Miguel Hidalgo and next to San Agustín Church Witnesses who saw the attack alerted the emergency services allowing for the rapid arrival of paramedics from the SAE Group Rescue workers provided immediate care to the victim applying bandages before transporting him to a hospital for evaluation and medical treatment it is unknown whether the victim had any connection to the aggressor The only clear thing is that the attacker escaped without anyone being able to detain him The authorities have not indicated whether it was an attempted robbery Local media highlighted that the concerning aspect of this case is that it occurred in the heart of the city an area that should be heavily monitored due to being one of the most trafficked the ease with which the attacker fled without being identified has highlighted the deficiencies in the local security system the asylum offices at the southern border of Mexico have experienced an unprecedented influx of Cuban migrants and those from other nationalities This increase was due to the immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump which restricted the entry of migrants into the U.S The situation has led to many migrants considering alternatives the saturation of asylum offices and the uncertainty surrounding the future of immigration policies in the United States complicate their decisions One of the most significant measures following Trump's arrival at the White House has been the cancellation of the mobile application CBP One which allowed migrants to schedule appointments to apply for asylum in the United States the incoming administration deactivated that tool leaving thousands of applicants without a clear path to enter the country legally The situation prompted the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, to announce that her government will begin the repatriation of migrants stranded in Mexican territory due to the new restrictions imposed by the United States Sheinbaum detailed that agreements have been established with several Central American countries to facilitate the return of these migrants to their countries of origin she emphasized that Mexico will provide "humanitarian assistance" to those who cannot continue their journey to the United States due to the new immigration restrictions The 42-year-old Cuban was attacked with a bladed weapon in the center of Tapachula and was taken to the hospital after receiving immediate care from paramedics The attacker managed to flee and has not been identified so far The massive migration to Tapachula has overwhelmed the asylum offices causing a crisis in resource management and security in the city The influx of migrants has increased due to the restrictive policies of the Donald Trump administration in the United States Mexico has begun the repatriation of stranded migrants and has established agreements with countries in Central America and Cuba to facilitate these returns it provides humanitarian assistance to those who cannot continue to the United States due to immigration restrictions Cuban migrants face rejection of their asylum applications Mexican authorities reject many asylum applications claiming that migrants left Cuba for economic reasons ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Two weeks ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration, Mexico continues dissolving attention-grabbing migrant caravans and dispersing migrants throughout the country to keep them far from... Copyright © 2025, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. 2025Share full articleIn the weeks and days before Donald Trump was to take office as president promising a crackdown on illegal immigrants groups of migrants were still setting out on foot from Tapachula hoping to somehow reach the northern border by Jan inauguration day.They joined small caravans like one that called itself “Éxodo Trump,” or “Exodus Trump.”Migrants resting in Escuintla A migrant packing her clothes as a caravan prepared to depart in Escuintla A migrant wearing an American flag bandana and Susan Gonzales with the Bible she carried from Peru Blisters and sores can affect migrants and their pets on the long walk Migrants in Tapachula waiting for a permit allowing them to travel to a U.S Enduanyerly Nazaret sitting next to her child as a caravan rested for a day in Escuintla Migrants in a caravan waiting to regroup with others near a police patrol Mexico is containing the exodus of migration from Central and South America via a policy of detaining the flow Mexican authorities have announced that between 1 October and 26 December they have detained 475,000 would be illegal migrants who had reached the border with the United States Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramon De La Fuente says this policy is proving successful but can be further improved pointing out that the number detained has declined by 81 percent during mid-December Part of the reason is that the US/Mexican Border is heavily fortified; whereas it was once porous with high concentrations of migrants stuck on the Mexican side the numbers detained were only a fraction of those who got across; now Mexican offers of permanent residence and employment are not persuading many to settle because the economic incentives are insufficient Yet it is a prime political issue for the new Mexican administration because US president-elect Donald Trump has said he will impose twenty-five percent tariffs on Mexican exports unless Mexico reduces the flow of illegal narcotics and migrants President Sheinbaum pledged to tackle this issue explaining that migrants are often reaching the border but are not able to cross it due to redoubled and reinforced security on both sides does not address or resolve the underlying and overall problem of why migration continues and the ever-present threat of street gangs which try to recruit young people into their ranks Thousands upon thousands of have-nots continue to make the perilous journey in spite of the stranglehold exerted by drug cartels which often abduct and hold migrants to ransom Those whose families back home who cannot come up with the money run the risk of their migrating love ones being murdered More than 20,000 migrants permanently vanish every year while trying to traverse Mexico`s vast territory Decaying bodies are often unearthed in clandestine burial grounds in desolate bedgrounds Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here Browsing the internet, I came across Wade Goodall's new video blog where he asks the viewer and him and Sterling went down to Tapachula Mexico to surf and hang out with the orphans at Mision Mexico They went down there because of two Ozzie's Jonno Durrant's and Stefan Hunt's recent video project called Somewhere Near Tapachula was a small hit — but it made it into our Surfer Poll 2009 nominees I caught up with Durrant via e-mail and asked him a few questions about Somewhere Near Tapachula He was preparing to return to the  orphanage with donated boards from Bob Hurley and boardbags from Ocean and Earth How did Somewhere Near Tapachula come about Stefan and I knew each other from Church in Australia We were talking about crazy travel ideas and we commented how crazy it would be to try and get to all 50 States…in 50 days we should just take our time and try to acomplish something in every state When we were touring Surfing 50 States back in the US we got an email from a volunteer for Mision Mexico who asked us to donate a DVD to the orphanage Then Stefan decided he was escaping winter to volunteer there for a month with no plans to make a film A few days after being there he was emailing me begging me to borrow some cameras and come and join him because he was so blown away by their story It's been amazing – we raised $80,000 on the Australian tour we organized and have since raised $20,000 in the States It’s pretty rad that Wade Goodall and Sterling Spencer went down there I bed the kids loved them and were really impressed with their surfing The kids love anyone coming down there and giving them a few surfing tips so to have pro surfers come down is amazing for them Cheyne Cottrell and Brian Noell came down when we were there and the kids were blown away They are THE ONLY surfers for 100's of miles around Wade and Sterling had a blast and the kids loved them—some of the older kids are ripping now They can either donate online – lovelifehope.com, or buy the Somewhere Near Tapachula DVD from which 100% of profits goes to the kids surfindustries.com/snt or walkingonwater.com The outlet tells the story of Poison and Malandro, former gang rivals from El Salvador and Honduras respectively, to illustrate the complex transformation in Tapachula. Both fled gang violence in their home countries and now live in a migrant shelter in Tapachula. Despite their past affiliations with MS13 and Barrio 18, they find themselves subordinate to the local drug traffickers. Tapachula's role as a migration hub is central to understanding its criminal landscape, the outlet explains. Located in Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border, the city is a primary transit point for migrants from Central America aiming to reach the United States, with the influx of migrants fueling both formal and informal economies in the city. From 2021 to 2023, nearly 390,000 asylum seekers from 102 countries registered in Mexico, 60% doing so in Tapachula. Local activists estimate the actual number of migrants passing through the city to be much higher, often without leaving official records. While migration sustains parts of Tapachula's economy, it also attracts criminal elements. The presence of MS13 and Barrio 18 remains, but their influence is limited to small-scale drug dealing and other minor criminal activities. These gangs are now overshadowed by the cartels, which have integrated drug trafficking and migrant smuggling into their operations. Tapachula's strategic location has made it a key corridor for drug trafficking. The Sinaloa Cartel once dominated this route, but since 2021, the CJNG has aggressively expanded its presence. The ensuing conflict has led to increased violence in the region. For instance, in May 2023, over 3,000 people were displaced in Frontera Comalapa, and local police stations in Tapachula have faced attacks linked to the CJNG. The economic implications of migration for criminal groups are significant. Migrant smuggling has become a lucrative business for cartels. Coyotes, or human smugglers, report paying substantial fees to cartels to ensure safe passage for migrants. These payments, often comprising half of the smuggler's earnings, are a vital revenue stream for cartels and fuel their operations. Despite their diminished power, street gangs like MS13 and Barrio 18 continue to operate in Tapachula, facilitating drug sales and occasionally smuggling migrants. However, their activities are largely under the control of the dominant cartels. The violence and control exerted by these larger criminal organizations have overshadowed the once-prominent street gangs. Tapachula's transformation underscores the interplay between migration and organized crime. As migration flows continue and criminal groups vie for control, the city remains a critical node in the complex networks of migration and drug trafficking in southern Mexico. © 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. a small restaurant has become a landmark for those seeking an authentic dining experience "El Rinconcito Cubano" offers a menu rich in flavor and culinary tradition at affordable prices The restaurant has gained attention on social media thanks to the Cuban tiktoker Lázaro Dayan Almeida (@lazaro.dayan.alme) who visited the location and shared his experience and excellent service," he commented in his video generating positive reactions among his followers Among the traditional dishes of Cuban cuisine The small business has won over both Cubans in Tapachula and Mexicans who wish to try Cuban cuisine Its concept is based on fresh ingredients and traditional recipes that evoke the essence of the Island The rise of businesses like this is a response to the growing presence of Cubans in Mexico Many have chosen to settle in the country following changes in U.S immigration policies and have found in gastronomy a way to start their own ventures and share their culture "El Rinconcito Cubano" not only offers delicious food but it has also become a gathering space where the flavors of the Island remain alive and are passed down from generation to generation For those looking to try authentic Cuban cuisine in Tapachula "El Rinconcito Cubano" offers a menu rich in flavor and Cuban culinary tradition The restaurant is renowned for its authenticity and affordable prices making it a landmark for both Cubans and Mexicans in Tapachula The increasing presence of Cubans in Mexico has encouraged many Cubans to start culinary businesses like "El Rinconcito Cubano" in Tapachula These businesses not only provide an entrepreneurial opportunity but also allow for the sharing and preservation of Cuban culinary culture and traditions abroad The Cuban TikToker Lázaro Dayan Almeida has played a crucial role in the popularity of "El Rinconcito Cubano" His visit and recommendation on social media have generated positive reactions and attracted attention to the restaurant helping to increase its visibility and clientele among both the Cuban community and local Mexicans "El Rinconcito Cubano" has become a meeting place for the Cuban community in Tapachula allowing Cubans to connect with their roots through cuisine In addition to offering traditional dishes the restaurant provides an environment where stories are shared and cultural identity is strengthened among Cuban migrants and their families The first migrant caravan of the year has set out from southern Mexico border after authorities broke up other small caravans headed to the United States in November and December A migrant carries a child through Tapachula as part of a caravan of migrants trying to reach the U.S A migrant sleeps on a park bench in Huehuetan as his caravan makes a rest stop on its way by foot to the U.S as part of a caravan trying to reach the U.S The majority of the migrants are from Venezuela but they also include people from Guatemala They’ve said they are tired of being blocked from crossing Mexico by the government Many of the migrants said they were simply tired of being bottled up in Tapachula — a city tired of hosting thousands of migrants and one where they cannot find much work has been waiting for almost three months for an asylum appointment through the U.S Colmenares said her immediate goal was to reach Mexico City to find “work or stay here and earn enough money to return to Venezuela.” An improvised migrant camp in downtown Mexico City was already full to overflowing with migrants Some recognized the difficulties involved in reaching the U.S trudged along with the caravan on Thursday acknowledging “that getting beyond Tapachula is very difficult.” Apart from the much larger first caravans in 2018 and 2019 — which were provided buses to ride part of the way north — no caravan has ever reached the U.S border walking or hitchhiking in any cohesive way harassed or prevented from hitching rides by Mexican police and immigration agents They have also frequently been rounded up or returned to areas near the Guatemalan border Six migrants died on Tuesday night after the Mexican Army opened fire on vehicles that attempted to evade military personnel carrying out patrols in the southern state of Chiapas Ten other migrants were injured in the incident which occurred on a highway north of the city of Tapachula located near Mexico’s border with Guatemala President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday morning that those killed were from Egypt The Collective for the Monitoring of the Southern Border, an umbrella group of migrant advocacy and civil society organizations, said in a statement that four men The incident occurred just nine hours after Sheinbaum was sworn in as president, and on the eve of the 56th anniversary of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre in Mexico City in which the Army opened fire on protesting students Sedena said in a statement on Wednesday that the shooting occurred on the highway between Huixtla and Villa Comaltitlán The ministry indicated that soldiers mistook the migrants for criminals Ahora fueron balazos, no abrazos.Militares victimaron a balazos en Chiapas a 6 migrantes e hirieron a 12 más, al confundirlos con integrantes de cártel.Hechos anoche en tramo Villa Comatitlán-Huixtla.Fue hallado camión con víctimas; había árabes, hindús, nepalíes, cubanos. pic.twitter.com/nYXd2eJAs5 — Jesús Rubén Peña (@revistacodigo21) October 3, 2024 detected a pick-up style vehicle traveling at high speed,” Sedena said adding that the vehicle “evaded” the military personnel after its occupants saw them Sedena said that two stake bed trucks “like those that crime groups in the region use” were traveling behind the pick-up truck “Military personnel said they heard explosions so two soldiers fired their weapons,” the ministry said adding that one of the stake bed trucks subsequently came to a halt military personnel identified 33 migrants of Egyptian 12 were injured and 17 were unharmed,” Sedena said apparently referring to Saudi Arabian citizens in the latter case “The military personnel administered first aid to the injured and immediately transferred them by vehicle to the General Hospital in Huixtla where unfortunately two more [migrants] lost their lives,” the ministry said “The 17 unharmed migrants were placed in the custody of the National Immigration Institute,” Sedena said The Defense Ministry said that the two soldiers who fired their weapons were stood down It also said that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) was notified of the incident given that “civilians were affected.” Sedena said that the FGR would investigate and determine “responsibilities” in the case Sheinbaum said that the two soldiers who shot the migrants were in the custody of the FGR — Jan-Albert Hootsen (@jahootsen) October 3, 2024 “First of all it’s a regrettable event and it has to be investigated and punished The personnel of the Defense Ministry who fired are already in the custody of the Federal Attorney General’s Office,” she said “It’s the Attorney General’s Office that has to do the investigation about how the events occurred,” Sheinbaum said adding that it will be up to the FGR to determine whether Army commanders are also at fault “A situation like this can’t be repeated,” said the new president Sheinbaum also said that the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Interior Ministry were in contact with the embassies of the countries from which the victims came The deaths of the six migrants came just one day after former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador signed into law a constitutional bill that places the National Guard under the control of Sedena There are concerns that the increased militarization of public security in Mexico will increase the risk of abuses being committed by the country’s security forces Mexican Army and navy personnel have previously been accused and/or convicted of a range of crimes, including murder In a statement Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “strongly” condemned the events that caused the deaths of six migrants through its diplomatic representation in Mexico will demand that the authorities of that country [carry out] an urgent investigation that … determines responsibility for this reprehensible act,” the ministry said “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide humanitarian assistance to … the family members of the [Peruvian] victim in these difficult circumstances,” it said In a joint post to the X social media platform the Mexico offices of the United Nations Refugee Agency the International Organization for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed their “concern” about the events in Chiapas that led to the death of six migrants and the wounding of 10 others the Collective for the Monitoring of the Southern Border said that “these events are neither accidental nor isolated.” “They are a consequence of the restrictive immigration policies that the Mexican state continues to implement,” the group said In recent years, Mexico has used federal security forces to detain migrants, large numbers of whom enter the country via the border with Guatemala and then travel northward via a variety of means with the ultimate objective of reaching the United States. Cartel violence has plagued the border region in Chiapas in recent times Federal security forces have previously opened fire on migrants, including in 2021, when the National Guard killed a Cuban man in Chiapas and wounded four others Mexico has came under pressure from the United States to do more to stem the flow of migrants to the border. At certain times during López Obrador’s six year term in government, enforcement against migrants was ramped up, including in 2019 after former U.S. president Donald Trump threatened to impose blanket tariffs on Mexican goods The number of migrants entering the United States between official ports of entry has recently declined after the current U.S. government implemented a new, more restrictive, border policy in June Isa and Damian left Colombia in early 2024 and began a journey they intended to bring them to the United States They survived the treacheries of the Darien Gap sold candy to fund their way through Central America and reached the border between Guatemala and Mexico in March whose names have been changed for their protection crossed the Suchiate River into the town of Ciudad Hidalgo in the Mexican state of Chiapas but they were entering one of the most perilous sections of their route policies seeking to limit the influx of migrants have incentivized Mexico to militarize its own southern border creating an environment extremely hostile toward migrants and organized crime has taken full advantage Under the watch of officials on roads patrolled by Mexico’s National Migration Institute and National Guard kidnappers trap and extort migrants en masse and authorities use buses to shuttle them off to unknown destinations As Isa and Damian walked up the highway to the closest city the driver of a van already packed with other migrants stopped and offered them a ride but when the van turned off the highway onto a side road They were met at a ranch by armed men who forced the migrants out of the van lined them up and taped over their cell phone cameras The men said no one could leave without paying Isa and Damian were told they would have to pay up to 1,500 Mexican pesos each Then the migrants were forced into an industrial-sized chicken coop Kidnappers trap and extort migrants en masse Dozens of other migrants crowded into the building a tall structure with barred walls and a cement floor The structure was equipped with security cameras and Wi-Fi so that the captives could call their families for money “They started to fire their weapons into the air so we threw ourselves to the ground,” Isa recalled to Truthdig months later “They told us to hurry up [finding money] because the Marines were on their way and there would be a shoot-out When Isa and Damian couldn’t come up with the full amount their captors allowed them to leave behind a cell phone instead Those who paid in full were driven to Tapachula; the rest were sent back to the road on foot with a stamp — a rooster imprinted on their arms in black ink — that would allow them to continue without repeating the ordeal Sitting just 23 miles from the Guatemala border Tapachula is the first stop on the most common route to the U.S and home to the largest detention center in Mexico An estimated 1,000 migrants find their travel plans forcibly disrupted in the city Some are eventually released and continue north in search of asylum; others are deported which funded increased checkpoints and surveillance in the area During his first term, Donald Trump’s administration implemented the Remain in Mexico policy which required asylum seekers to wait out their asylum processes on the southern side of the U.S It also began limiting the number of asylum seekers allowed to cross the border each day forcing migrants to wait in Mexico for months Continuing the trend of pushing migrants deeper into Mexico, President Joe Biden’s administration began deporting Central Americans and Haitians from the U.S It also introduced a mobile app called CBP One ostensibly to streamline the asylum process and prevent migrants from traveling with traffickers CBP One has served as the sole means of requesting asylum but social justice advocates have criticized the app for merely digitizing the Trump administration’s metering strategy while further violating migrants’ rights “The CBP One application turns the legal right to asylum into a lottery system based on chance,” said Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in a statement The official tally of appointment requests that migrants submit through CBP One is not publicly available. However, as of February, average monthly appointment requests reached approximately 5 million according to documents reviewed by CBS News reporters more than 166,000 people vie for just 1,450 available spots and many wait months to find out if they are approved “The only thing CBP One has done is leave migrants stranded,” says Eunice Rendon Other diplomatic changes have done little to help them: Migrants in Mexico who are victims of a crime are legally entitled to humanitarian visas which give them legal status as they transit the country Mexico’s immigration authorities ceased offering these visas “The CBP One application turns the legal right to asylum into a lottery system based on chance.” Mexican migrantion officials have “always been under U.S pressure not to hand out too many humanitarian visas,” Isacson explains Mexico was issuing around 15,000 humanitarian visas a month; in late 2023 “That means more people are trapped in Tapachula.” As more people seek to cross Mexico without visas “The profits generated by migrants’ desperation are huge,” Rendon says CBP One came with location restrictions that allowed users to access the portal only from states along the U.S.-Mexico border and Mexico City An August change now allows non-Mexican asylum seekers to request their appointment from within the southern Mexico states of Tabasco and Chiapas Trump’s impending return to the White House has created new urgency for migrants which supports LGBTQ+ migrants in Tapachula “Whether or not the possible drastic changes in migration policy are put into place the narrative causes a collective psychosis the goal right now is to reach [the U.S.] before Trump gets into office.” have worked in the same way,” Rodríguez says to take a new tack and position itself as a welcoming destination for migrants “There will be a lot of money flowing from different governments to continue containing migration and that can create an opportunity for integration the Chiapas state government and the Mexican federal government “Organized crime has near-complete domination of the migration industry,” Rodríguez says “We don’t see that there’s an agenda to mitigate those risks and deal with the issues of trafficking and exploitation Without attending those problems and creating a structure to combat those realities it will be hard for Mexico to become a country that truly embraces and integrates the people who are arriving.” the Instituto Nacional de Migración’s (INM) practices are confusing and subject to change overnight The institution has adopted the custom of busing migrants willy-nilly around Mexico before sending them back to southern states to begin their journey anew all while deceiving them as to their destination One young woman who spoke to Truthdig after being released from Siglo XXI said she walked several days north from Tapachula and climbed on an INM bus after officials promised to take her to the Chiapas state capital then-President Trump announced he would place tariffs on Mexican products if the country failed to stop people from reaching the U.S. and Mexico sent 6,000 National Guard soldiers to its Guatemala border Security forces and migration officials have since become a permanent fixture patrolling the roads of Chiapas to ensure migrants don’t move north on their own the day Claudia Sheinbaum took office as the country’s new president INM practices are confusing and subject to change overnight On a side road between the towns of Huixtla and Villa Comaltitlán — about an hour north of Tapachula — soldiers fired on three trucks of migrants Mexican authorities claimed the soldiers were defending themselves against shots fired from the trucks because the trucks resembled those used by people transporting migrants illegally had been “confused” with those carrying criminals the military’s presence has coincided with an increase in migrant kidnappings Heyman Vazquez is a priest in Ciudad Hidalgo who offers meals to migrants at the church on the town square They don’t try to do it at night anymore.” The INM sometimes buses migrants from the Suchiate River to Tapachula but migrants have reported officials charging them around $100 for a ride organized crime maintains a monopoly on transporting migrants men with weapons stop you after a kilometer because they think you’re charging money,” he says Kidnappers load migrants into vans across from the town hall in Ciudad Hidalgo’s main plaza in broad daylight They stop buses on the main highway — between National Guard and INM checkpoints — and force drivers to turn over undocumented passengers which stands at Tapachula’s bustling Miguel Hidalgo Central Park The chicken coop has become a rite of passage for migrants who reach Tapachula with few resources as with any other kind of international travel travelers can pay more for added comfort — like avoiding kidnapping Out of dozens of migrants interviewed for this story only two who could afford to pay for a premium border-crossing package avoided the ordeal Most endured some version of what a woman named Gloria described: Her family was swept up by kidnappers as they descended from rafts after crossing to the Mexico side of the Suchiate River under the watch of National Guard officers who traveled from Venezuela with 13 family members They don’t let you go anywhere else.” The vehicles took the family to the chicken coop where the cartel charged them $150 per person the Mexican authorities’ crackdown on immigration has been more visible than attempts at hospitality “It’s a strategy of containment and exhaustion.” police and migration officials broke down the door of a private home in Mexico City where a group of Venezuelan and Colombian migrants were staying saying that they had to request the CBP One app outside of Mexico that they couldn’t get it here,” says Farida Acevedo an organization that offers humanitarian aid in migrant camps in Mexico City Those with children were taken to a state-run children’s home; the rest were sent to Villahermosa “It’s not the first time that they leave people in the street in Villahermosa but it is the first time they entered a house and with that level of violence,” Acevedo says “It’s a strategy of containment and exhaustion They trap [migrants] in the north or Mexico City and send them down to Tapachula or Villahermosa the INM also buses migrants between cities in Chiapas beneath a bridge along the side of the highway at the entrance to the Viva México neighborhood dozens of people lined up outside air-conditioned trailers staffed by INM officials Some had been waiting days to board buses to take them to Tuxtla Gutierrez The capital has little infrastructure to receive migrants but the journey gets them out of Tapachula where rents are high and work opportunities are scarce tattooed Venezuelan boys in their late 20s shared a cigarette by a muddy creek and contemplated their possibilities Trump has threatened to eliminate the CBP One app altogether blaming it for the release of paroled asylum seekers into the United States “Eliminating that application — what we use to enter the United States — would end our dreams,” Edjitson says The young man’s fear reflected a common concern “It seems 99% certain that CBP One is going to go away The options for people who want to turn themselves in and ask for asylum are going to disappear,” says Isacson of WOLA even though they may not be able to get a work permit are going to have to enter without being detected That’s going to change the nature of the smuggling industry in Mexico Smugglers are about to enter a golden age.” to escape the labyrinth of kidnapping and extortion migrants in southern Mexico have found strength in numbers have become a common strategy for safe travel That is what Isa and Damian ultimately chose to do they requested asylum at Mexico’s Refugee Commission (COMAR) They logged into the CBP One application every day to request an asylum appointment in the U.S They sold cups of fruit while they waited in the city to pay for a rented room but she didn’t want to stay in Mexico without him some seven months after their release from the chicken coop in Tapachula Isa and Damian left behind their few possessions to begin walking “We realized it was a big caravan that was escorted by the police the Red Cross was supporting them,” Isa said Sitting down in the town plaza of Huehuetán Isa removed her socks and running sneakers and stretched out her wrinkled feet but she and Damian had already walked for seven hours that day the INM managed to disperse the caravan by loading migrants onto buses four buses of migrants from the caravan arrived in Acapulco INM officials had told them they were heading to Morelia they found themselves in a city recovering from a devastating hurricane that had destroyed local infrastructure in a state facing a wave of violence that had resulted in the recent decapitation of the mayor of the state capital Caught between institutional and criminal violence the migrants’ circuitous journey continued yet another loop in the serpentine path to the U.S and the need for independent journalism has never been greater A new administration is openly attacking free press — and the stakes couldn’t be higher Independent journalism like Truthdig doesn't just report the news — it helps cultivate a better future Your tax-deductible gift powers fearless reporting and uncompromising analysis we can protect democracy and expose the stories that must be told Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe Don't miss out on the latest investigations provocative insights and original reporting from a progressive perspective — delivered straight to your inbox Thanks, I’m not interested ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Leer en español. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published and her family were walking on the edge of a four-lane highway in southern Mexico in blistering It was the first leg of their journey to the United States Her 21-year-old son was pushing her paraplegic husband in his manual wheelchair and the family’s beloved dog was nestled on her husband’s lap they had crossed the river that divides Guatemala from Mexico on a rickety raft But her husband’s condition made traveling difficult — he had been shot by gang members — and for now they just wanted to reach the closest city a place 20 miles north of Mexico’s southern border where they could seek shelter and food a four-door truck sped by and slammed to a halt I will help you get there,” one of three men inside yelled They wore bulletproof vests with a picture of a Mexican flag and a skull The men got out of the truck and pointed guns at the family “You can get in the car the easy way or the hard way,” one said her ankles swollen and clothes soaked with sweat son and daughter-in-law squeezed into the truck’s back seat after helping Zelada’s husband into the front until they stopped at an abandoned ranch scattered with luxury cars and dozens of terrified migrants locked up in a large pen made for livestock “The first thing that came to my mind was my son,” Zelada said Mexico has long been known as a dangerous transit country for migrants because of the threat of cartel violence and extortion from immigration agents and police But through interviews with more than 70 migrants over seven months this year ProPublica found that a new phase of mass kidnapping for profit has emerged at the country’s southern border that is different in character and scale than what has happened in the past underscoring how effective Mexican cartels are in adapting their strategies to exploit new policies from Washington organized gangs affiliated with drug cartels have created an industrial-size extortion racket that involves kidnapping large numbers of migrants as soon as they set foot in the country one that its victims rarely denounce because of the relatively small ransom amounts and distrust of Mexican authorities Immigrant advocates and church leaders say the criminal groups have created a virtual dragnet that makes kidnapping the rule rather than the exception Immigration has become a top issue for U.S. voters ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election — and a political liability for the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. In December 2023, amid a record number of border crossings the Biden-Harris administration sent a delegation to Mexico to push the Mexican government to drastically ramp up immigration enforcement according to a high-ranking Mexican official with knowledge of the talks Mexico’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the negotiations In the months following the December negotiations Mexico dramatically decreased the number of humanitarian visas it issued to asylum-seekers which many used to transit the country on the way to the U.S Authorities also increased the number of checkpoints to detain more migrants Mexican authorities reported a record 925,000 apprehensions a number that likely includes people caught more than once and many who were only briefly detained But Mexico deports just a tiny fraction of the migrants it encounters — less than 2% of total encounters this year resulted in deportations Limited resources and court decisions restricting Mexico’s right to detain families has hampered the Mexican government’s ability to carry out wide scale returns of migrants to their home countries migrants are circled around inside Mexican territory in a merry-go-round strategy that forces them to repeatedly pay off immigration agents It’s “designed to deter migrants by making it harder and even more expensive to get through Mexico,” said Andrew Selee president of the Migration Policy Institute “gives organized crime groups a second bite at the apple to extort migrants.” The busing strategy is also sending migrants back to a region that is increasingly violent where they face threats not just from organized crime but from authorities Mexican soldiers opened fire on a tractor trailer just north of Tapachula Mexican authorities vowed to investigate the killings The uptick in violence coincides with a pitched battle between the Sinaloa cartel and Jalisco New Generation cartel for control of migrant- drug- and gun-smuggling routes in southern Mexico sending the homicide rate soaring in the southern states of Chiapas and Tabasco according to security experts and Mexican government data A trip to Mexico’s southern border earlier this year provided a glimpse of how brazen organized crime has become — and how easy it is to make money off migrants ProPublica interviewed 35 migrants in eight families who were kidnapped trying to make their way over the 20-mile stretch from Ciudad Hidalgo ProPublica interviewed another 16 migrants in Mexico City who were kidnapped along the same stretch Venezuela and Colombia and included mothers traveling with babies They told nearly identical stories of being ambushed often by bus and taxi drivers who turned them over to armed men on an abandoned ranch with fighting cocks where they were ordered to pay a ransom for their freedom were given Wi-Fi and a Mexican bank account number so that they could call their families and ask them to cover the ransom The kidnapping is so widespread and open that migrants walk around Tapachula with stamps of a bird on their forearms as a sign that they paid the ransom Many refer to the kidnapping ranch they were brought to as the “gallinero,” or chicken coop The mass kidnappings in southern Mexico started in mid-2023 and began picking up by the end of that year according to immigrant rights activists monitoring the situation entered into the agreement to stop migrants from reaching the U.S border — nearly every migrant who attempted to cross into Mexico through Ciudad Hidalgo without a smuggler was kidnapped and held on an isolated ranch officials have indicated that they’re aware of the extent of the dangers migrants face in Mexico but they say they cannot interfere with how or whether the government there protects them said in a Spanish-language call with reporters in July that it is “impossible” for migrants traveling by “illegal means” to the U.S border to arrive without “passing through the cartels’ hands.” and Mexican officials credit the busing and stepped-up enforcement cooperation between the two governments — coupled with new restrictions on asylum put in place by the Biden administration — with contributing to the dramatic decline in migrants illegally crossing the U.S.’ southwest border from around 250,000 in December 2023 to nearly 54,000 in September 2024 White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández said the “administration’s coordination and collaboration with Mexico is incredibly strong A spokesperson for the Mexican president’s office referred questions to the Interior Department which did not respond to repeated requests for comment Mexico’s national immigration agency said that it does not receive any economic support from the U.S for the busing operation and referred questions about the kidnappings to Chiapas’ state prosecutor The Chiapas state prosecutor’s unit in charge of investigating crimes against migrants said it has not received any complaints about individual or mass kidnappings in the stretch between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tapachula said that it had facilitated the rescue of nine migrants from Nepal India and Bangladesh who had been victims of a suspected kidnapping in Tapachula director of the Fray Matías de Córdova human rights center in Tapachula said that in September Mexican authorities raided and closed down one of the principal kidnapping ranches in the region and migrants are still regularly kidnapped and extorted trying to reach Tapachula her husband had sold bananas out of a truck and they had never wanted for “a plate of beans,” she said members from the powerful street gang Barrio 18 attacked her husband because he couldn’t pay the gang’s extortion fees shooting him and leaving him paralyzed from the waist down the family stayed — until gang members started harassing her 19-year-old daughter Zelada’s family scraped together money for her daughter to travel with a smuggler to the U.S on her own while the rest of the family fled two months later Zelada didn’t think traveling through Mexico could be any more dangerous than the life they’d left behind But as Zelada and her family found themselves held hostage on the abandoned ranch hours after entering Mexico she questioned their decision to make the risky journey north Most of the migrants on the ranch were Spanish speaking but a handful of others appeared to be from China and she saw the kidnappers using a translation app on their cellphones to communicate with them One guard told them that if they turned over all their cash they would be released to continue on their way Zelada and her relatives gathered all the money they had brought with them — $2,700 — and handed it over a Colombian woman who agreed to be identified only by her middle name said that as soon as she crossed Mexico’s southern border in May with her husband and two young children — a 3-year-old and an 11-month-old — two motorcycle taxi drivers offered to take her family to Tapachula She realized they’d been tricked when the drivers approached a dilapidated ranch The guards used two-way radios to communicate with one another and monitored the hostages’ phones for any signs they were trying to take photos She and her family were fed rice twice a day for three days while she waited for her mother-in-law in Venezuela to scrounge together the ransom demanded by the kidnappers Most migrants said the kidnappers had a set rate: $75 per person the circumstances and the victims’ nationality — Cubans and Haitians were charged more because it is assumed they have family in the U.S. and Chinese migrants were also quoted a higher price because they tend to have more money according to immigrant activists who work in the region the kidnappings in southern Mexico are a volume business By charging even relatively small amounts of money and moving migrants through as quickly as possible the criminal groups make enormous profits with little risk a Catholic priest who works in Ciudad Hidalgo said criminal groups in southern Mexico have gone so far as to set up checkpoints along the main highway in an effort to identify migrants “The authorities are involved,” he said about the kidnappings adding that there’s a blurry line between the authorities charged with protecting migrants and the cartels exploiting them “You never know who you’re talking to,” he said The state of Chiapas’ anti-kidnapping unit said it had no information about Mexican authorities being involved in migrant kidnappings Migrants crossing Mexico have long faced horrific acts of violence in their efforts to reach the U.S. 12 Mexican police officers were charged with murdering 16 Guatemalan migrants including one who was identified as working with the smugglers whose bodies were found shot and incinerated south of the U.S No one knows exactly how much money Mexican criminal groups make off of migration, including smuggling and kidnapping. According to a 2021 congressional statement from the acting director of Homeland Security Investigations U.S.-bound human smuggling and related criminal activities produce an estimated $2 billion to $6 billion in yearly revenue But most officials believe those profits have surged as the numbers of migrants passing through Mexico soared in recent years — a record 2.5 million people arrived at the southern U.S.border in fiscal year 2023 chief of mission for the International Organization for Migration in Mexico said cartels see migrants purely as “opportunities to make money at a very grand scale.” She said because of this some of the migrants that the organization has encountered in Mexico describe the country as a “second jungle” after the dangerous stretch of rainforest between Colombia and Panama that has become a major thoroughfare for migrants trying to reach the U.S Nature is one of the main threats in the Darién Gap The dozens of migrants who spoke to ProPublica after being abducted in southern Mexico said that in most cases the kidnappers arranged for them to be driven to Tapachula They said they were squeezed into sedans — sometimes 10 or more people in a car — and dropped at a corner store near one of the city’s main plazas.The kidnappers told them the stamp on their forearm would protect them from being kidnapped again in the Tapachula area But that protection lasted only as long as they stayed in town Zelada’s family was held at the ranch for less than half an hour She and her family then spent two months trying to apply for asylum in Mexico before giving up and joining a group of around 2,000 other migrants walking north as part of a caravan Zelada and her family walked more than a thousand miles through sweltering summer days sleeping outside in parks and beside train tracks until they were finally able to cross into the U.S They are currently living in South Carolina while they apply for asylum the kidnapping in southern Mexico derailed their lives a 23-year-old Honduran woman who asked to be identified only by her first name were traumatized after being held at gunpoint for four hours in a livestock pen When kidnappers dropped the three of them off in Tapachula after paying the ransom But she and her children are too terrified to leave Smugglers have offered to ferry the family to the U.S They are scared to move forward on their own for fear of being kidnapped again but also can’t fathom returning to Honduras Help ProPublica Reporters Investigate the Immigration System We need your help to find productive ways to examine the country’s immigration system — what’s working and what isn’t We especially want to hear from federal workers ProPublica is no longer taking submissions for this particular project, but you are welcome to contact us through our general tip form 2024: This story has been updated to include comments from the prosecutor’s office in Chiapas ProPublica will focus on the areas most in need of scrutiny Here are some of the issues our reporters will be watching — and how to get in touch with them securely Learn more about our reporting team. We will continue to share our areas of interest as the news develops I cover health and the environment and the agencies that govern them including the Environmental Protection Agency including the companies working in those fields and the regulators overseeing them If you don’t have a specific tip or story in mind, we could still use your help. Sign up to be a member of our federal worker source network to stay in touch We’re trying something new. Was it helpful? Email Address: Arrow Right Sign Up ProPublica Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest © Copyright 2025 Pro Publica Inc Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are free to republish it so long as you do the following: Social media users and relatives of a woman who went missing in the Mexican border city of Tapachula have requested assistance in finding her Dairanis Tan Ramos, a mother of two children and originally from Vertientes, Camagüey, was last seen on December 18 in Tapachula, Mexico, according to confirmations in family comments on social media Those close to Dairanis explained that the young woman arrived in the Aztec country on December 9 and was headed to Mexico City from Tapachula Dairanis's mother is pleading for help and is asking to get in touch with family members in Cuba in case there is any news about her daughter "Please, know how much that mother suffers from not having news about her daughter; if anyone in Tapachula has seen her or knows anything, please contact her family. May God guide you, and they may receive news; she was with a group of 13 people heading to Mexico City," stated a netizen close to Dairanis "I was going with a guide, who also disappeared; there were 13 people in the boat," stated a cousin of the young woman Amid the acute Cuban migration crisis, cases of kidnappings and disappearances of Cubans trying to make their way to the northern border of Mexico in order to enter U.S On their journey through the Aztec country Cubans fall victim to scams and kidnappings by the so-called "coyotes," who promise to take undocumented migrants to the border in exchange for money the Attorney General's Office (FGE) of Quintana Roo activated a search alert for Imilsis María Arjona Medina a 34-year-old Cuban who went missing for several days The young woman was later "located," although the conditions in which she was found were not specified by Mexican authorities Arjona Medina had last been seen in the city of Cancun on December 19 but no further details about the location or circumstances of her disappearance had been released two young individuals also went missing during a sea voyage near the coasts of Mexico adrift after a shipwreck that occurred off the coast near Cancun while they were undertaking the perilous migration journey from Cuba They were part of a group of nine people who left Cuba on December 24 from the municipality of La Coloma in Pinar del Río the group was forced to take a break on a cay where they stayed for four days before continuing their journey to Mexico The boat they were traveling in collided with another vessel and broke apart Although seven other people were rescued by a yacht the two young men distanced themselves from the group and were apparently assisted by another vessel Dairanis Tan Ramos is a Cuban mother of two children She had arrived in Mexico on December 9 and was heading to Mexico City She disappeared along with a group of 13 people who were traveling with a guide Cuban migrants face significant risks of kidnapping and extortion by criminal groups in Mexico In their attempt to reach the United States they fall victim to scams by "coyotes" who promise to transport them to the border in exchange for money The migration crisis has heightened these dangers Mexican authorities have activated search alerts and are conducting operations to rescue kidnapped migrants corruption and the complicity of certain officials complicate the eradication of these criminal practices perpetuating insecurity for migrants in transit Citizens can contribute by providing any relevant information to families or Mexican authorities It is crucial to share alerts and requests for help on social media to increase the visibility of cases and facilitate community collaboration in the search for missing migrants It was raining terribly in Holguin when the plane took off But for someone who got onboard with a small backpack and put it under their seat then tightly closed the belt that stands out of its place It doesn’t matter how much the flight cost and it doesn’t matter how much further is left to land in Managua uncertainty; nor the journey that is to follow crossing the Suchiate River and disembarking in Chiapas It doesn’t matter that you’re entering each of these countries illegally when risking what you don’t have is the only thing you have left Who leaves a country without knowing for sure that they will reach the destination they seek that all of this made him really upset and that fleeing the country he didn’t know how long his journey would take nor how long it would take him to reach the US He knows he’s been in the State of Chiapas for a month but is now an open-air booby trap for migrants after a stop-over in the Dominican Republic but the journey was long and “practically exhausting.” He met other Cubans along the way approximately 300,000 Cubans also passed through here There were stretches when Leo had to walk through the jungle until he reached some buses where he joined other Cubans They saw the city lights at night from afar They stopped in certain spots to go to the bathroom and to buy food They arrived in Guatemala in the day and stayed 24 hours in a motel recovered their strength to be able to reach the Suchiate river shore at night they took taxis to their rental homes and lodgings that everyone had already booked in a faraway land with people you’ve just met is to go to the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) they are given a letter of safe-passage to be able to move around Tapachula without the danger of being arrested or deported The line – which is called the fila in Mexico - but it would get even more “chaotic” days later He went into a place with different offices he was given a ticket that he filled out with his personal information – address in Cuba – before heading towards another cubicle where he had to show his passport to a person sitting behind a computer They only asked a few questions and he was sent to another place That’s where he was finally given his letter of safe-passage Leo says that he doesn’t consider himself an economic migrant He fled the island because he had problems with State Security and he told this to another officer who was taking anonymous surveys at COMAR with Cubans about their reasons for leaving the country Staying in Tapachula and the Central American route beginning in Nicaragua are due to many Cubans preferring to wait out their parole processes or apply for a CBP One appointment on Mexican soil Leo has seen people who come and are on a flight to the US in four or five days “The atmosphere among Cubans here is of high hopes There is an atmosphere of uncertainty that continues to grow.” there have been clashes between Cubans and Haitians the police have intervened and stopped Cubans with some kind of authorization to go to the US southern border from flying across The request for authorization to fly used to be processed at Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) Leo was at a protest of migrants who protested for the measure They spent most of the day sitting on the sidewalk But things haven’t changed in reality and nobody knows if it will really change Setting off on a journey along the highway would be a lot more dangerous Living in better conditions depends on every individual’s financial means The lowest rents cost 2000 Mexican pesos per month (approximately 114 USD) Leo was able to find a place because a brother had been there before and given him tips Four Cubans and two Hondurans live with him “The Hondurans’ stories and life philosophy have really struck me,” Leo says I realized that one of them comes from the lowest social class is taking refuge in Tapachula and is looking for a better quality of life He is running away from violence in Honduras gang life; but Hondurans are discriminated against in Mexico and in the US Some of them want to apply through the CBP One program but they are more interested in settling in Mexico.” Leo says they are “very tight” in the home rental They have to buy big bottles of water because running water in Mexico isn’t safe for drinking A few of them cook together and they all share the cost of food The home rental is “quite central” and this has allowed Leo to save money on taxis or public transport But your luck depends on the quality of your phone Those with more defective cellphones group together and use one cellphone they share Some shout with joy when they manage to get an appointment and drink a few beers “Everything revolves around waiting for this appointment.”  There are shortages of jobs in Tapachula for the high number of migrants Lots of Cubans live off remittances sent by their relatives living in the US “One of the most striking things I’ve seen,” Leo says “was the long lines of Cubans outside banks or at establishments that receive money from Western Union.” Leo says that people might be in a line from early on in the morning until the evening Leo sees an “impact on the economy” in Tapachula due to the arrival of thousands of Cubans; he thinks the volume of US dollars circulating has especially increased But he has also seen Cubans working in bars A few others have their stands selling goods or walk along the lines offering water Leo has found some Cubans hawking coffee on a corner “exactly like they do in Cuba.” When it’s almost been a month since Leo arrived in Tapachula they invited him to have breakfast after Mass he has experienced a lot of tense situations “It’s quite a calm city and you find lots of hospitable people Even when I’ve gone walking and walked with friends at night until quite late “I came with the hope and certainty that things would go well but Life has shown me that this doesn’t exactly happen It’s one thing to think and foresee something had a less traumatic stay in Tapachula and managed to reach their objective without so many hurdles Lots of Cubans are here now waiting in a kind of migration limbo the majority of us here are still thinking about never going back to Cuba running away from a life of poverty that more and more people are sinking into on the island What people have come to call migration – “for lack of a better word or higher degree of compassion,” as Brodsky would say – and this kind of migration in particular is a kind of Cuban martyrology; a historic registration of desperation or a destiny that seemed damned happy stories of those who make it inspire them and give them the strength they need to escape an inevitable reality they produce systematic violence against people A higher degree of compassion for what people now call migration for Leo and every migrant that flees their home *Leo is a fictitious name to protect the migrant’s identity If you believe that our journalism is important for Cuba and its people we want you to know that this is a critical moment Behind each publication there is a team that strives to ensure that our products meet high quality standards and adhere to professional and ethical values analyze the problems of our society and make visible the hidden issues on the public agenda is an effort that requires resources You can contribute to our mission and that is why today we ask for your help Select the way you prefer to send us a donation We moderate comments on this site. If you want to know more details, read our Privacy Policy INFORMAL FOREIGN EXCHANGEMARKET IN CUBA (REAL TIME) A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state SEATTLE - Anticipating stricter rules and heightened enforcement measures around the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants from all over Latin America continue to set their sights on reaching the United States before Donald Trump's January 20 inauguration His anti-immigrant rhetoric and his promises of carrying out the largest mass deportation operation in American history have instilled fear in the minds of thousands of migrants in Central and South America prompting them to make their journey up north in masses According to the latest reports from Mexican authorities and activists more than 2,000 migrants have formed a new caravan in the city of Tapachula EFE reported that the group assembled on Dec 1 to review their plan of action and to define the stages in which they will conduct the dangerous journey through Mexico The latest caravan congregating in Tapachula is composed mostly of migrants from Venezuela Colombia and from other Central American countries the migrant caravan agreed to meet at Tapachula's Bicentenario Park on Dec 1 to facilitate their departure towards Mexico City the following day they decided to form a caravan since they cannot leave Tapachula by bus and job opportunities are scarce as they await their asylum appointment on the CBP One app government that they open their doors to us no matter who the president is," the Venezuelan migrant added more and more people have decided to leave Tapachula due a number of reasons a lack of housing for migrants and job scarcity in the southern Chiapas community "We have been witnesses of agents that said they were going to help but ended up lying...they arrest you for three days and they do not help you with getting the document you need we are going only with God's help," he added Mexican authorities dismantled the caravans during the weekend Some were bussed back to southern Mexico while others were offered documents to cross the country This is not the first and won't be the last time migrant caravans decide to risk their lives and make their way towards the United States' southern border a caravan that left the city of Tapachula on Nov 20 has been reported to have reached the municipality of Arriaga a little over 150 miles northwest of the border with Guatemala Mexico recorded the presence of at least 925,085 migrants a rise of more than 130% compared to the nearly 400,000 migrants that were reported inside Mexico in 2023 As Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to curb the flow of migrants reaching the United States officials in Mexico have started to dismantle the so-called caravans headed northbound According to El Universal Mexico's National Immigration Institute took apart the 2,000-strong group that had reached the city of Tonalá after starting its journey in the same city of Tapachula on Nov 30 to Tonalá and offered migrants the Multiple Migratory Form a document that allows them to legally stay in Mexico for 20 days a local activist and director of the organization Pueblos Sin Frontera (PSF) said the latest measures taken by Mexico are in response to Trump's pressure on its southern neighbor to put an end to illegal immigration said that the document handed out by agents is a "trap" "If migrants are seen walking is because they do not have money where are they going to land in 20 days?," Villagrán said "The form they received has a a 180-day validity but they only received a 20-day grace period what are they going to do in just 20 days," he added Mexican aviation authorities announced new flights between Mexico and Cuba adding departures by Viva Aerobús from Tapachula a city with a growing Cuban population in the Aztec country flight with a connection to Monterrey starting next April The airline Long live Aerobús will operate a new flight from Tapachula International Airport bound for the cuban capital strengthening air connectivity on the southern border This XNUMXth-century new Tapachula-Cuba flight which will include a connection in the Monterrey International Airport will benefit both Cuban travelers and Mexican tourists interested in visiting Havana, who can access the island from several cities and airlines such as Aeroméxico or Magnicharters the start of this air route responds to the growing flow of passengers between Tapachula and Cuba driven by the expansion of the Cuban community in the region and tourist interest in the island from Mexico the Tapachula International Airport It is consolidated as the most important air terminal in the southern border of Mexico serving as a connection point for travelers Guatemalans and strengthens its network of domestic and international flights La Tapachula-Cuba route will operate three times per week, facilitating the mobility of travelers and merchants, in addition to strengthening local economic development, they said in the media local This new air connection It represents a great opportunity to boost tourism and business in the region Long live Aerobús expands its flight options consolidating its presence on the southern border and providing more travel alternatives for passengers heading to Cuba Keep reading on Directorio Noticias Follow our channels WhatsApp, Telegram y Facebook. What are the requirements to get a ticket to Tapachula document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","a6d3e579130ea5fd7bbeef44498f56c4");document.getElementById("da51854335").setAttribute("id","comment") If you want to receive notifications when appointments are active Sign Up | Follow us on Facebook | Facebook Group  new video loaded: ‘There’s No Way to Turn Yourself In’: Migrants Rethink Routes to U.S transcriptBackbars0:00/4:49-4:49transcript This river crossing between Guatemala and Mexico is a major transit point for millions of migrants trying to get to the United States every year We came here weeks after President Biden issued an executive order in early June which limited and temporarily suspended asylum requests along the U.S.-Mexico border forcing many migrants to rethink their journey — and allowing human smugglers to see it as a business opportunity The Biden administration said unauthorized border crossings were down more than 50 percent in the six weeks following the executive order who monitors human rights and migration in southern Mexico says there may be more to the story behind the latest numbers from the U.S He expects there will be a shift in migration migrants could illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border and still claim asylum after turning themselves in to Border Patrol Leidi Colmenares is choosing to take the longer legal route has been moving migrants across the region for two decades He had just moved to Dominican migrants across the Guatemala-Mexico border when we met him at one of his safe houses Smugglers like him are now profiting on the confusion and anxiety resulting from the sudden policy change The Biden administration maintains that its strategy is stemming the tide of migrants trying to enter the U.S and the people we spoke to say it has forced them to alter their plans while unauthorized border crossings are way down it’s hard to say whether they will stay that way Colmenares says she will try to get legal status in Mexico which would at least allow her to reach the U.S border if she’s given an appointment by C.B.P or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments Times Video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world.Whether it’s reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home Times Video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world.2:43 Thousands of migrants are trapped in Tapachula just north of Mexico’s border with Guatemala where they face strict limitations on their movements poor living conditions and long waits for immigration hearings Some have labeled Tapachula an “open-air prison” or a “living nightmare” – others call it the southern extension of the U.S The answer is a complicated mix of government bureaucracy moments of anguish and desperation unfold day after day in Tapachula where migrants who left the turmoil of their home countries realize their journey has been stopped MEXICO – Thousands of migrants are trapped in Tapachula Some have labeled Tapachula an “open-air prison,” others call it the southern extension of the U.S Mexico – Migrants passing through Mexico desperately need mental health care but the Mexican government has offered little support Shelters and NGOs in Tapachula are stepping in to provide essential psych services but experts and frontline workers say it still isn’t enough in protest against the Mexican government’s slow process to seek asylum and work visas migrants have been trapped in the city for years Mexico – While migrants remain trapped in Tapachula the money they receive from family members is spent towards benefiting the city’s economy But because of delays in issuing legal documentation – some migrants face economic instability and uncertain survival routes while working to survive Mexico – To survive while their journeys are stalled in Tapachula poor pay and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health care Mexico – Tens of thousands of migrants struggle to navigate a complex and underfunded network of health care resources in the southern border city of Tapachula Mexico – despite the efforts of NGOs and government officials alike Migrants detail their journeys to Tapachula Tapachula has been an immigration bottleneck for years as tens of thousands of migrants arrive and must wait for documents allowing them to continue north Mexico – In one of the largest humanitarian crises currently in the Western Hemisphere a third of migrants stranded at Mexico’s southern border are younger than 18 Mexico – Migrants seeking housing in Tapachula have three choices as their immigration paperwork is processed: stay in a shelter and follow its rules their accommodations depend on circumstances and the social environment Mexico – Thousands of migrants pass through Tapachula Mexico – Migrants throughout Tapachula are living in crowded conditions There is little access to food and clean water Mexico – The unidentified remains of more than 52,000 people are lying in mass graves forensic storage and safeguard centers across Mexico This “forensic crisis” is playing out in a smaller but no less tragic way in Tapachula Mexico – People on both sides of the Suchiate River Comparisons can be made to cities along the U.S.-Mexico border Mexico – Migrant children in Tapachula seeking education face many barriers to entry lacking proper documents to enroll in local schools or needing to work to help support their families but most facilities are too overrun to accommodate everyone Mexico – Tapachula natives and local government representatives describe the drastic change in the city since the onset of the migration crisis in 2015 Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University Staff members are listed here Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast Find out how your news organization can use Cronkite News content Sign up for daily headlines [email protected] Creative Commons Privacy statement While Mexican state authorities prepare to receive possible mass deportations from the U.S by building large facilities to house people who have been deported and enabling transportation to take them to other parts of Mexico uncertainty invades hundreds of thousands of migrants throughout the country After suffering violence and other difficulties on a long and complex migration route share impressions about their experience and the tightening of U.S including the closure of the CBP One application The application allowed people to request appointments to begin asylum procedures in the U.S The person in charge of a migrant shelter in Tapachula explains there have been some returns to Central American countries for many others there is no option to go back and requesting asylum in Mexico is now seen as an alternative other groups of migrants are trying to advance through Mexican territory by train or walking together in caravans to demand attention and seek protection from the violence perpetrated by various armed actors This despite the fact that migrants are constantly being returned from northern and central parts of the country to the south by Mexican authorities I am 22 years old and I am from Huila [in the southwest of Colombia] I was in my fourth semester of Industrial Engineering at university I did not intend to leave Colombia because I have everything there I am a fan of Millonarios but I like European football more: Barça The main reason for leaving Colombia was the violence Suddenly an armed group started to intimidate us They wanted to recruit those of us who did military service because we already know the training I do not want to belong to an armed group that does not fight for the good of the country and does pure drug trafficking I arrived by plane to Mexico City and I was working in a hardware store Salvadorans and Colombians — were sent by bus to Villahermosa (in the state of Tabasco From there I came to Coatzacoalcos (state of Veracruz) and now we are waiting for the train We were all trying to get to the border before Trump took power.  it’s very difficult to move around Mexico Nobody gives you anything for free and you can’t trust anyone I received threats on my cell phone.  —”Give us 50,000 varos [50,000 Mexican pesos roughly $2,430 US] for your peace of mind.”  —”Would you rather die or pay money?”  but I didn’t think the CBP One application would end I am also suffering from a lot of discrimination despite fleeing from my country It didn’t work in chronological order but randomly Since I arrived in Mexico I tried but they never gave me an appointment Now the only thing left for me is to go to the border They tell me that if I can’t take it anymore I should go back… but my only option would be to go to Bogotá and there I have nothing and no one I am 26 years old and I am travelling with my four-year-old daughter It is not easy for us to get visas for anywhere but we try Some people pay up to $3,000 US through intermediaries I got a visa for Brazil and we took a plane but the salaries are not good: I barely earned $200 US a month I consulted TikTok to find out about the route and prepare myself morally but they took almost everything from us in [the Darién jungle of] Panama.  From Colombia they took us by boat and we arrived at a forest We walked for a day and a half until we reached the mountain that separates Colombia from Panama Mauritanians… We spent two more days crossing the Darién Because of the rains there were landslides and some people were injured We came across four young men armed with machetes and other weapons who threatened us They didn’t do anything to the women Some people also had their passports torn up Afterwards they left us in peace and we slept on the riverbank.  The next day we continued our way until we reached a migratory camp after crossing a river with crocodiles The authorities gave us food and took photos of us There were different organizations and we received aid kits Then we took a bus to Nicaragua (via Costa Rica) and then we went to Honduras and Guatemala with different transportation The journey [through these Central American countries] lasted three days about $700 US until you reach Tapachula (southern Mexico) At each stop you have to give something.  but we have separated because she did not have permission to go forward I was given permission because I am travelling with family although the permit they gave me in Tapachula only allows me to move through [the state of] Veracruz maybe they can give me a temporary work permit There is another train that goes to the border with the U.S.  I am just looking for a better life.  I am in a shelter in Tapachula (southern Mexico) with my sister-in-law and my three children two girls aged 12 and six and a boy aged four My husband had to leave Honduras early because they wanted to recruit him into the gangs and for a year I left Honduras in October on the first bus I was afraid but we could no longer stay there it was enough to live on and support our children They asked us to pay in order to continue and at first I did but they increased the fee… It was not even enough to eat I told them I could not pay them everything —”You can pay in different ways,” they told me.  —”I can’t do it in front of my children,” I told them.  — “Find some time and we’ll come back.”  I ordered the children to lock themselves in the room and not come out until I told them I only prayed to God that my girls would not hear One day they told me that my 12-year-old daughter was very pretty I kept quiet and started selling some things I didn’t want that to happen to my daughter.  When we crossed the Suchiate River to enter Mexico —”Who are they?” they asked him when we stepped onto Mexican territory.  my children and my sister-in-law,” he replied.  I couldn’t stop seeing his scared face they could have abused your daughter,” the Mexican who helped us told me.  We took the first taxi we saw and asked to be taken to a shelter I have not even thought about joining a caravan [of migrants] or taking a bus about people who have an appointment [for CBP One] and a permit (the Multiple Immigration Form and are asked to get off the bus and have their documents torn up.  I did the paperwork to stay in Mexico and to request an appointment for CBP One I didn’t know how to do it and someone helped me but this person entered my information incorrectly and I never got an appointment I live with the anguish of not knowing what is coming for the children to go to school and for me to be able to work.  Should I think about going back to Honduras If those people weren’t there anymore I could… but I don’t know that.  I am 33 years old and I am travelling with my wife I lived in Equatorial Guinea and for seven years in the Spanish city of Málaga I returned to my country and became involved in a political party and in business but there was a coup d’état and the situation became increasingly complicated I thought about going to France but it was impossible to do the paperwork in a short time Flying to Brazil was much easier and we left from one day to the next with the initial idea of reaching the U.S.  I did not think the migration route would be so complex: from Brazil we went to Bolivia Colombia… and finally we found ourselves taking a boat to go to Darién they offered you trips of different lengths I have seen dead people crossing the jungle I would never have gotten into this.  such as diapers for the baby and permission to cross the country in seven days everyone we met had a gun and they asked for $250 US to cross the country and even more when you finished crossing After crossing the Suchiate River into Mexico they made us change all our dollars and charged us for a phone card.  I have been in Tapachula for two months now When I was in Peru and saw the news of Trump’s victory I got discouraged and gave up the idea of going to the U.S I feel a bit weak and that is why I came to the clinic There are a lot of mosquitoes in the house where we are living and I have caught malaria.   I am the manager of the Buen Pastor shelter in Tapachula This shelter for migrants has a capacity for 1,200 people Brazil… we have also had Africans and Chinese Many are now also asking for refuge in Mexico.   More than 50 people had already received an appointment with CBP One at this shelter Some of them had been returned by immigration [in Mexico] from other parts of the country.   There are entire families here who had waited up to a year for an appointment doctorswithoutborders.caDOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS / MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES (MSF) CANADA 551 Adelaide Street West Toronto Canada M5V 0N8 Charitable registration: # 13527 5857 RR0001 Fill out the form to download posters and fundraising toolkits that will help you with your fundraising initiative for MSF