The Mexican government, responding to President Donald’s Trump request for help, sent federal police to block a huge caravan of migrants that say they’re bound for the United States as the migrants prepared to cross from Guatemala into Mexico.
Two 727 Boeing planes filled with federal police officers landed near Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala, to intercept the caravan.
Video footage from the police’s press office circulated on Twitter, showing dozens of officers milling around outside one of the planes.
Migrants with proper papers or who wish to apply for asylum will be allowed to enter Mexico, the ministries added.
The response came as Mexico’s ambassador to Guatemala met with the migrants in Guatemala City on Oct. 17, telling them that there is no such thing as a transit visa for those wishing to cross Mexico to reach the United States.
The migrant caravan, estimated at some 3,000 people, were preparing to cross into Mexico on Oct. 19, reported the Associated Press. Some plan to try to cross the Suchiate River on a raft.
Trump shared the footage on Twitter, praising the response. “Thank you Mexico, we look forward to working with you!” he said late on Oct. 18.
A few hours earlier, he had shared video footage that appeared to show organizers of the caravan handing out money.
“Can you believe this, and what Democrats are allowing to be done to our Country?” he said.
Consequences
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence issued strong warnings to Central American countries which allow migrants to leave and try to illegally enter the United States.“In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!”
He said securing the border is “far more important” than trade, including the newly agreed upon USMCA, a trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
In 2017, the United States sent about $530 million in aid to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
The caravan, which has swelled to thousands of people, originated in Guatemala last week and crossed into Honduras on Oct. 15, after a brief standoff with Honduras police officers.
