Mexican Authorities Dissolve Migrant Caravans Amid US Pressure

Mexican migration authorities dissolved two small migrant caravans heading to the U.S. border, according to activists on Saturday. Some migrants were taken by bus to southern Mexico cities, while others received documents to help them transit.

This action occurred a week after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican products unless Mexico took stronger measures to control migrant flows.

On Wednesday, Trump announced that Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to stop unauthorized migration to the U.S. Sheinbaum stated on social media that efforts are in place to assist migrants and caravans before they reach the border.

Migrant rights activist Luis García Villagrán noted that dissolving the caravans seemed part of an agreement between Sheinbaum and Trump.

The first caravan left Tapachula, near the Guatemala border, on November 5. At its peak, it had around 2,500 members and walked approximately 430 kilometers to Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, in four weeks.

In Tehuantepec, Mexican migration officials offered weary migrants free bus rides to other southern or central cities in Mexico. Bárbara Rodríguez, a migrant from Venezuela, reported being taken to Acapulco and later traveling by bus to Mexico City.

The second caravan, consisting of about 1,500 migrants, departed on November 20 and traveled around 225 kilometers to Tonalá, Chiapas. There, authorities offered a transit visa allowing travel in Mexico for 20 days.

Sheinbaum expressed hope to avoid a tariff conflict with the U.S. However, her statements did not clarify who made specific offers during her call with Trump.

Unlike larger caravans in 2018 and 2019, which received bus support, these smaller groups have not reached the U.S. border entirely by foot or hitchhiking, although some individuals have made it independently. For years, authorities have frequently blocked, harassed, or prevented migrant caravans from traveling north. Many have been detained or sent back toward the Guatemalan border.