Imigrants at the US-Mexico border

Hundreds of people arriving from several Central American countries met on the border of Guatemala and Mexico on January 19, 2020, aiming to ​​cross to Mexico and then to achieve the United States, according to Reuters. Most of them are from Honduras, but there are also some nationals from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Families flee violence and poverty.

Honduras is one of the most vulnerable countries in the region with one of the highest levels of violence in the world (41 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants). Inequality is among the highest in the world (GINI 50.5 in 2017), according to the World Bank and 17.2 per cent of 9 million Hondurans suffer extreme poverty living with less than 1,5 euros daily (less than US$1.90 per person per day is the international poverty line). This is the highest rate in Latin America after Haiti (24,7%).

Under pressure from the U.S., according to AP agency, the Mexican government has offered migrants, who are currently in the border, 4,000 temporary jobs in southern Mexico if they turn themselves in to the authorities. However, most of these people wish to start a new life. Last June, the Mexican government reached an agreement with the United States to crackdown on Central American immigration following Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Mexican products.