The leader of a 5,000-strong refugee caravan heading to the US border has claimed that Latin American nations are “uniting” against the Biden administration and creating artificial problems to extort money from Washington DC.
Irineo Mujica, a U.S. citizen who describes himself as a human rights defender, told Real America’s Voice he was “shocked” that Joe Biden was being played by the Mexican president and other regional leaders and said the White House “still has a lot to do.” learn”. .
Mujica repeatedly said Biden “dropped the ball” and said he preferred Donald Trump because his policies on the border were clear.
“This is used by countries to ensure that they get what they want from the United States,” Mujica said.
“I am completely stunned. Joe Biden dropped the ball. Where is American intelligence?
“Don’t they know that all countries are conspiring against the United States to ensure this crisis is dealt with?”
“They make the baby, now they’re trying to sell it.”
Irineo Mujica, a U.S. citizen who describes himself as a human rights defender and is accompanying the refugee caravan, said the Biden administration is being played by Latin American leaders
A caravan of 5,000 migrants left the southern Mexican border town of Tapachula on Monday to make their way to the northern border region with the United States
The migrants left Tapachula and traveled nine miles to the town of Alvaro Obregón, where they slept Monday night and set out early Tuesday morning, hoping to walk about 24 more miles
Migrants from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti began the trek on Monday after becoming frustrated with the Mexican government’s long wait times.
They had been waiting for their refugee or exit visa applications to be processed at the main immigration center in the city of Tapachula in Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala.
Mexico’s National Migration Institute, whose job it is to approve or reject the applications, was backed up with inquiries.
Migrants typically wait weeks or months for their status to be legalized, which allows them to work and move freely in the country.
But on Monday they set out without papers, hoping to reach the border and apply for asylum.
The march is expected to be the largest since June 2022, when 6,000 people, many from Venezuela, set out from Tapachula.
Mujica is seen in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on October 20, calling for free transit permits for migrants
Mujica distributes cookies and crackers in Tijuana in November 2018. He says the situation is now as bad as he has seen it
Mujica, who accompanied them, claimed that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico’s president, was involved in the chaos.
“I have been a human rights defender for almost 70 years and have never seen it worse,” he said.
‘That’s not normal. This is used by countries to ensure they get what they want from the United States.”
He said Latin American countries were “transporting and admitting people” to get money from the United States to deal with the situation.
Mujica said he walked with a group of people through the Darien Gap, the treacherous stretch of jungle that separates Colombia and Panama, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro turned a blind eye.
He claimed the government was in cahoots with drug cartels to profit from migration.
“All these people got through, and then every country just gave them rights, charged them $20, $30, $40, and then pushed them further and further in, all the way to the Mexican border,” he said.
“And then when you get to the Mexican border, there are no mass deportations.”
A migrant pushes a stroller as he walks down the street in Tapachula, Mexico, alongside a caravan of about 5,000 people from Central America, Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba trying to reach the U.S. border
Mujica said Latin American governments are “arming” migrants and releasing or detaining them at will to extort money from Washington.
“As an American citizen, I would say: Don’t give any money to Mexico or any of the countries that are totally responsible.” “Give them zero cents.”
He added: “It’s not humane what they’re doing.”
“Because they bill the United States for the blood of migrants.”
“In any case, Joe Biden has dropped the ball – he still has a lot to learn.”
“I think Joe Biden’s policies are worse than Donald Trump’s because at least Trump knew what to say to stop immigration.”
“He has lost all respect from the countries.”
“Obrador can lure them and get what he wants from the United States.”
On Monday, single adults and families were seen walking on the highway with police acting as an escort.
According to Mújica, the group stopped and traveled about nine miles until they reached the municipality of Alvaro Obregón, where they camped overnight.
According to Univision, they were back on the road at 5 a.m. Tuesday and planned to advance another 15 miles.
Venezuelan citizen Daniel González said he has been traveling for three months and does not plan to return because of the poor economic situation in his homeland.
Second day of the migrant caravan in southern Mexico. Today they started running before 5am. They plan to walk about 15 miles. The road to the U.S. border is still very long, but they said they are determined to get there. @UniNoticias pic.twitter.com/fd6hMDVoww
— Pedro Ultreras (@pedroultreras) October 31, 2023
The latest caravan of about 5,000 people is said to be the largest since 6,000 people, mostly Venezuelans, left Tapachula in June 2022
Oscar Gutiérrez also left Venezuela with his wife and two daughters and hopes that Biden will allow them to settle there.
“In Venezuela things are very difficult, we cannot live with the money we get, it is not enough for us and that is why we are going to the United States,” he said.
“We’ll carry on,” he said. “Nobody helps us in Tapachula.”
Leonel Olveras, a native of Honduras, said: “No papers are distributed here.” They ask us to wait for months. It’s too long.’
A migrant family joined a refugee caravan leaving Tapachula, Mexico, bound for the United States
A migrant girl sleeps while other caravan members rest after a long day of travel
Migrants are tired of having to wait weeks or months for their refugee or visa applications to be approved by Mexican immigration authorities
Some of the migrants in Tapachula had expressed interest in working for the government and helping with reconstruction efforts in the resort town of Acapulco, which was devastated by Hurricane Otis last week.
The latest caravan comes as Biden faces intense pressure to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants on the southwestern border of the United States.
U.S. Customs Border and Protection recorded 269,735 encounters along the southern border region in September, the most since December 2022, when 252,315 interdictions were recorded.
Overall, CBP reported 2,475,669 interdictions in fiscal year 2023 (October 2022 through September 2022), exceeding the previous fiscal year when 2,378,944 encounters were recorded.
“In response to the high number of encounters across the southwest border in September, CBP has increased its resources and personnel,” CBP Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller said in an Oct. 21 statement.
“We are continually working with domestic and foreign partners to address and enforce historic hemispheric migration, including large groups of migrants traveling on freight trains, including by preparing direct repatriations to Venezuela.”