[AlAhram] Several thousand Central American Most appear intent on taking the Pacific coast route northward to the border city of Tijuana, which is still about 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers) away. The
But whereas they previously suffered from the heat on their journey through Honduras, Guatemala and southern Mexico, they now trek to highways wrapped in blankets to fend off the morning chill.
Karen Martinez of Copan, Honduras and her three children were bundled up with jackets, scarves and a blanket.
"Sometimes we go along laughing, sometimes crying, but we keep on going,'' she said.
While the caravan previously averaged only about 30 miles (50 kilometers) per day, they are also now covering daily distances of 185 miles (300 kilometers) or more, partly because they are relying on hitchhiking rather than walking.
On Monday morning,
"Now the route is less complicated,'' Martinez said.
Indeed,
Many, especially men, travel on open platform trailers used to transport steel and cars, or get in the freight containers of 18-wheelers and ride with one of the back doors open to provide air flow.
But the practice is not without dangers.
Earlier, a Honduran man in the caravan died when he fell from a platform truck in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Jose Alejandro Caray, 17, of Yoro, Honduras, fell a week ago and injured his knee.
"I can't bend it,'' Caray said, as he watched other
"Now I'm afraid to get on,'' he said. ``I prefer to wait for a pickup truck.''
After several groups got lost after clambering on semitrailers, caravan coordinators began encouraging
Over the weekend, the central state of Queretaro reported 6,531
The caravan became a campaign issue in US midterm elections and US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
has ordered the deployment of over 5,000 military troops to the border to fend off the
Many say they are fleeing rampant poverty, gang violence and political instability primarily in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Mexico has offered refuge, asylum or work visas, and its government said 2,697 temporary visas had been issued to individuals and families to cover them during the 45-day application process for more permanent status.
But most