(EFE).- Despite the operations of the Government of Mexico and the railway company Ferromex, thousands of migrants continue to risk their lives and board the country’s trains, in particular “La Bestia”, to reach the border with the United States. .
In Ciudad Juárez, on the border with Texas, EFE documented the arrival of one of these trains, which arrived from the Mexican city of Torreón with at least 500 migrants, some on the roof of the cars and others inside the gondolas.
The Venezuelan Jesús Armando Barroso Barroso explained in an interview that traveling by train is the only option, since the Mexican authorities detain them if they travel by road, even if they go by bus.
“They always stop you and take you off the buses. They are not letting us get a ticket for the buses because they will take you off. They want you to walk all the time”
“They always stop you and take you off the buses. They are not letting us get a ticket for the buses because they will take you off. They want you to walk all the time,” said the migrant, who after two months of traveling arrived in Ciudad Juárez , where he hopes to cross into the American city of El Paso.
He said that as they passed through the city of Chihuahua they saw thousands of people waiting to get on a train and he said he was frustrated by the possibility that Mexico would return them to their country of origin, as the Mexican Government promised the Customs and Customs Office. United States Border Protection (CBP).
The operation also contemplates rapid expulsions across Juárez bridges for migrants who cross the Rio Grande and surrender to the US immigration authority.
It also implies the “return” of immigrants “insured” in Mexico to their countries of origin, with which the country would negotiate to accept its citizens back. Migration travels by train
The controversy over migrants in Mexico began on September 19, when the Ferromex company suspended 60 freight trains due to the presence of more than 4,000 migrants and “about half a dozen unfortunate cases of injuries or deaths” on the tracks or cars. in the midst of a new wave of migration.
The National Migration Institute (INM) later promised to monitor, together with Ferromex, the main points where migrants board the railways. But migrants continue to arrive aboard the train to Ciudad de Juárez, one of the epicenters of the migratory wave in Mexico.
“We have fought a lot to achieve our goal, we want to get there so we can continue fighting for our family. Why are you going to return us? What we want is to pass,” Barroso added.
Enrique Valenzuela, coordinator of the State Population Council (Coespo), acknowledged this week that despite the operations implemented by Ferromex and the state of Chihuahua, groups of people constantly arrive in the city, mainly on board the freight train.
The controversy over migrants in Mexico began on September 19, when the Ferromex company suspended 60 cargo trains due to the presence of more than 4,000 migrants.
However, he ruled out having official data on the number of migrants in Juárez, arguing that it is a highly fluctuating figure.
In recent days, the migrants arriving aboard “The Beast” have gone directly to the Rio Grande, right in front of Gate 36 of the border wall, where they have remained for up to five days awaiting attention from the United States authorities. according to José Gregorio, who arrived that day on the train after three months of traveling.
“At night it is cold and during the day it is hot. And hungry too, because you can’t get off the train. There are people who stop and throw things at us and there we can grab water or bread,” José said.
“One has had to sleep here on the street, but thank God we have always encountered good-hearted Mexicans and they have helped us,” he concluded with tears in his eyes.
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