Mexican Police Block Migrants Heading To The Guadalupe Basilica

On the Virgen of Guadalupe Day on Dec. 12, Mexico City police violently confronted some 500 migrants from the Central American caravan that arrived in the territory on Sunday, after traveling hundreds of kilometers from the Chiapas state.

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"We are going to the Basilica of Guadalupe. The number of injured people is regrettable. No one should fight so hard to process their faith," activist Irineo Mujica said, adding that "violence is not the solution."

The migrants arrived with the intention of visiting the Basilica of Guadalupe, which is a mass pilgrimage site for Catholic believers from around the world. Later, they wanted to go to the government headquarters to ask President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) to regularize their situation in the country.

However, as soon as the migrants set foot in the capital city, Mexico City Mayor's Office Secretary Marti Batres proposed to them that they not go to those places but go to the sports Santa Martha Acatitla, where about 1,000 people could spend the night, receive food and be vaccinated.

The tweet reads, "Police blockade on the Zaragoza road in Iztapalapa. This is how the migrant caravan was received in Mexico city."

The migrants did not accept that offer and tried to continue their route to the Basilica by walking through the streets. As they did so, however, dozens of Metropolitan agents tried to block them at the Puebla highway, which generated a tough confrontation between police and migrants.

Despite these incidents, the Central American migrants managed to advance and reached the Basilica on Monday morning. They entered the temple in groups of 30 to 40 people after a dialogue with the city authorities.

Two months ago, their caravan was made up of several thousand people. Currently, however, the Mexico City Human Rights Commission estimates that there are only about 320 migrants left, 75 of whom are minors.