The caravan of Honduran refugees which left the city of San Pedro Sula on Thursday, headed for the United States, has been prevented from crossing into Guatemala.
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The migrant refugees were detained by Honduran riot police and told they were required to have a negative Covid-19 test and a passport to enter Guatemala.
Officials of the migration institute indicated that they would not allow the passage of migrants who do not meet the requirements requested by the immigration authorities.
Despite this, several people were able to enter Guatemala through unguarded points on the border.
On Friday, Guatemalan authorities arrested 67 Hondurans after they illegally entered in their attempt to reach the United States, among them are 21 minors. The group was located near the border of Agua Caliente, 250 kilometers southeast of Guatemala City.
Hundreds began the new US-bound caravan bound citing lack of employment following hurricanes Eta and Iota. Members of the group also claim that they are leaving their country due to violence and poverty, problems that have been exacerbated under the Covid-19 pandemic.
Apart from the failure to adequately respond to the devastation caused by the hurricanes, local groups site a number of growing social issues related to mining and the encroachment of multinationals, police and military violence, and crime.
The United States government has deepened cooperation with the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez in the areas of ‘drug-trafficking’, yet social organizations report a worsening human rights situation including forced disappearances and violence against environmentalists and social leaders.