Migrant caravan halts after report of abducted child

[Elderberry]

Washington Times By Christopher Sherman 10/28/2018

TAPANATEPEC, Mexico — Coordinators of a caravan of several thousand Central American migrants moving through southern Mexico urged its members to rest Sunday. At first the migrants vowed to press on anyway but later changed their minds amid reports that a child had been abducted.

The migrants said they would stay and hold a meeting Sunday in Tapanatepec. Late Saturday night, groups of migrants were running through the town’s streets saying a migrant’s child had been snatched. Something similar led to a panic at an earlier stop, but was not confirmed.

After being delayed for a couple hours when federal police halted their exit from the town of Arriaga Saturday morning, most of the migrants arrived in Tapanatepec in the searing heat. Dozens headed down to the Novillero river below the central square to bathe, wash clothing and cool off. Others lined up at a medical aid station mostly for attention to their battered feet.

For the first time an arm of the federal government seemed to be directly helping the migrants advance rather than trying to diminish the caravan. In this case Grupo Beta, Mexico’s migrant protection agency, gave rides to stragglers and passed out water.

At the caravan’s regular evening meeting in the town square, its coordinators tried to force a little chivalry.

Many of the migrants have depended on hitchhiking to move between towns rather than walking the entire way. When trucks stop it’s usually young men who sprint to reach them first. Women carrying children or pushing strollers are at a disadvantage.

On Saturday night, a nun scolded the men and urged the women to be more aggressive in pursuing the rides. She said the church would help arrange five trucks to transport only women with children on the next trek to Niltepec about 33 miles (54 kms) away.

More: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/oct/28/migrant-caravan-abducted-child-report-halts-journe/

[Elderberry]

Human smugglers arrested hiding in Central American caravan
Judicial Watch's investigators reveal 7 unaccompanied minors rescued
https://www.wnd.com/2018/10/human-smugglers-arrested-hiding-in-central-american-caravan/

A number of human smugglers operating inside the caravan moving from Central America through Mexico toward the United States’ southern border have been arrested, and seven unaccompanied minor children have been rescued, according to Judicial Watch.

The government watchdog said it obtained exclusive information and photos from Guatemalan authorities “revealing that they have recovered seven unaccompanied minors from human smugglers working inside the caravan.”

“The children have been taken into custody and they are being provided with food, water and medical attention, according to a high-level Guatemalan government official. The smugglers have been arrested and the broader investigation into criminal activity in the caravan is ongoing.”

A Judicial Watch team, led by Director of Investigations Chris Farrell, was at the Guatemala-Honduras border monitoring the progress of the mass movement of people who say they intend to march illegally into the U.S.