Central American caravan leaves Mexico City and continues toward the US

The first Central American Migrant Caravan has left Mexico City on foot, heading north to the US Mexican Border, which is still more than a thousand kilometers away. It`s going to be extra tough going as they currently have no transport.

By James Blears

The vast majority of the first caravan departed pre dawn Saturday, from the Jesús Martinez Pallido Stadium in Eastern Mexico City. They're aiming to reach Tijuana, still far more than a thousand kilometers to the North. And there they`ll encounter more than fifteen thousand US troops and National Guard, plus Border Patrol and hectares of razor wire.

58 year old Honduran Francisco Alvarado has spent more than 35 years in the United States, has a wife and three daughters there. Deported twice, he`s trying to return to his family. He`s appealing to President Trump to consider the plight of the caravans, who are escaping dire poverty and death threats from the street gangs plus organized crime.

"I like to go to United States. I wanna stay there with my family. I want to say to Mr Trump, 'Please let the people go there. All the people living in Honduras need a job there. People need work, need a job."

United Nations

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, says it`s not their responsibility to provide transportation and neither has the Mexican Government. So it appears to be a one thousand plus kilometers trek towards a hostile and reinforced bristling Border.

Listen to James Blears' report