Central American Caravan ‘looks for life on road of death’

The twelfth Caravan of Central American Mothers of dis­appeared migrants set out on 15 November, writes Martha Pskowski.

The caravan brings together women from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua whose family members have gone missing in Mexico. The women visit churches, migrant shelters, prisons and publicise the plight of these Central American migrants, as well as trying to gather information on the whereabouts of their relatives.

The Mesoamerican Migrant Movement (MMM) organises the caravan, which will visit new cities and towns this year, reflecting shifting migration routes through Mexico. The caravan began on the border with Guatemala in La Mesilla, Chiapas. It will travel to 11 states by 3 December. Since 2014 when it became more difficult for migrants to ride on the freight train known as “The Beast”, more Central Americans have been taking remote routes.

Activists estimate that as many as 70,000 Central Americans may have disappeared in Mexico. Organised crime targets Central Americans for extortion, human trafficking and drug trafficking. MMM criticises the Mexican Government’s inaction in seeking out Central Americans who have disappeared in their territory.

This year’s caravan, called “Looking for life on the road of death”, is in memory of Honduran activist Berta Cáceres, murdered in March. In Mexico City it will visit the Basilica of Guadalupe.