Migrant caravan marches northward from Mexico-Guatemala border

Hundreds of migrants continued their journey towards the United States by marching northwards from the Mexican border city of Ciudad Hidalgo.

According to CNN, the migrants were travelling in a caravan, which was headed to Tapachula, situated 37 km north of the Mexico-Guatemala border. About 10 buses were waiting for the migrants along the highway between Tapachula and Ciudad Hidalgo and the drivers were instructed to carry the refugees to home shelters in Tapachula, officials said.

The migrants, originally from Honduras, said they were fleeing violence and poverty, and include women and children. The group wants to have a better life in the US and were initially barred from crossing the border bridge between Mexico and Guatemala.

Mexican authorities said that 1,028 people had requested asylum in Mexico from October 19 to 21. The government stated that 346 migrants were transferred to a shelter in Chiapas state, owing to their "vulnerable" conditions.

The authorities have repeatedly stated that they would allow the refugees to cross the US border if they possessed a visa and other valid travel documents.

Earlier, the Mexican government had said that the authorities had given "priority attention" to elders, children, and women, including those who were pregnant.

The government added that 2,200 refugees were stranded on the bridge, while 900 others tried to illegally cross Mexico.