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Tired of waiting and lacking trust in the authorities, groups of Cuban migrants have resumed their journey on foot through Mexico after the departure of a new caravan from Tapachula, Chiapas, was thwarted.
In small groups, they make their way along the coastal road heading north through the country, dodging immigration checkpoints and walking under the sun in search of an opportunity that has been denied to them for months.
According to a report from Diario del Sur, the caravan that was scheduled to depart on October 30 did not take place, with only six people showing up at Bicentenario Park, the usual starting point for these movements, despite expectations of participation from around 600 individuals. However, the failure of the organization did not stop many, who decided to continue their journey on their own.
Fatigue, distrust, and resistance
Douglas Brian Velázquez, a Cuban migrant cited by Diario del Sur, explained that the caravan did not take place due to accumulated distrust. So far this year, at least seven caravans have been disbanded by Mexican authorities. “Many of us are still recovering from previous walks,” he noted.
Velázquez's story reflects that of hundreds of Cubans who arrived in Tapachula with the hope of regularizing their status, only to encounter corruption, discrimination, and endless processes with the Comar and the National Migration Institute (INM).
In October, more than a thousand Cubans participated in a caravan that was halted due to operations and illnesses; only half managed to advance beyond Pijijiapan.
Today, those who were left behind have chosen to try again, even if it means doing so on foot and without companionship. Near Huixtla, they have been seen walking as far as "La Arrocera," diverting along the train tracks to avoid checkpoints and continue their journey toward Mexico City, Saltillo, or Nuevo León, where they hope to find better conditions.
"We're evading the authorities again."
Lorena, a Honduran migrant also mentioned by Diario del Sur, summarized the general sentiment: “We are evading the authorities again; we have no other choice since they did not provide us with papers or support. In the caravans this year, we were only deceived.”
Lorena's testimony resonates among Cubans who have been waiting for months, some for over a year, for a response to their requests for asylum or humanitarian visas.
Many have reported that the processes only move forward when bribes are paid to intermediaries or lawyers linked to immigration officials, while the poor remain trapped in a cycle of helplessness.
Tapachula, a symbol of neglect
Tapachula, bordering Guatemala, has become a symbol of institutional neglect and migration containment. Thousands of people live there in precarious conditions, without jobs or access to basic services, trapped by policies aimed at halting the flow northward.
Since September, Cubans had organized assemblies and groups on social media to coordinate the caravan set to departure on October 1. That mobilization, the largest of the year, was dismantled following operations by the INM and the National Guard, leaving behind stories of exhaustion, illness, and despair.
Even so, many decided not to give up. With feet sore, bodies exhausted, and a faith that grows increasingly solitary, they walk once again along the coastal road. They do it not for hope, they say, but because they have nothing left to lose.
"The only thing we want is to be allowed to move forward as human beings," said a Cuban migrant weeks ago. Her words, now echoed by those resuming their journey, encapsulate the spirit of resistance of individuals who continue to walk, even when their destination seems unwilling to grant them passage.
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