Mexico dispersing Central American migrant 'caravan' that drew Trump's anger

Mexican officialson Tuesday screened a dwindling group of hundreds of largelyCentral American migrants who are moving through Mexico towardthe United States, seeking to break up the so-called caravanthat hasdrawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump, doubling down on his tough stance against illegalimmigration, has railed against those making their way from theGuatemala-Mexico border in the past 10 days.

Trump repeated threats to torpedo the North American FreeTrade Agreement (NAFTA), which underpins much of Mexico'sforeign trade, and said he wanted to send troops to the U.S.border to stop illegal immigrants until a long-promised borderwall is built.

In response, the Mexican government has said the migrantsare being vetted to determine whether they have a right to stay,or would be returned to their countries of origin.

Hundreds of men, women and children from Central Americawere stuck on Tuesday in the town of Matias Romero in the poorsouthern Mexican state of Oaxaca awaiting clarification of theirlegal status after officials began registering them.

Confused and frustrated by paperwork, many were uncertainwhat lay in store, and desperate for information.

"What was the point of all this then if they don't let usstay?" Elizabeth Avalos, 23, a migrant from El Salvador who was travelling with two children, said angrily. "There's no food. Mychildren haven't eaten since yesterday."

Hundreds of people camped out overnight in a park near thetown's train station, with shoes and bags strewn about.

'We're not safe'

Jaime Alexander Variega, 35, sat alone in a patch of shadeand cupped his head in his hands, weeping or praying, his feetstill bearing lacerations from walking for four or five daysstraight through Guatemala from El Salvador.

"We're not safe in El Salvador," said the former securityguard, his hat smeared in dirt, explaining he had left his home because of the threats from local gangs. "I know it's difficultto get into the United States. But it's not impossible."

Around them, Mexican migration officials with notepads andpens took basic information from the migrants, asking for names,nationalities, dates of birth and proof of identity.

The caravan was organized by U.S-based advocacy group PuebloSin Fronteras, which seeks to draw attention to the rights ofmigrants and provide them with aid. The Mexican government saysthe caravan, which like others travels by road, rail and onfoot, has been organized every year since 2010.

Honduran Carlos Ricardo Ellis Garcia clutched a handwrittenlist of names belonging to more than 100 people who joined thecaravan in the southern border town of Tapachula, where it beganon March 25, reaching a peak of around 1,500 people.

But by Tuesday,the number was down to about 1,100, accordingto Pueblo Sin Fronteras spokespersonGina Garibo.

Many had broken off from the group, eager to move on morequickly, she said. Many others aimed to stay in Mexico becausethey had family ties there or planned to work, Garibo said.

"Now they're separating these groups," Ellis Garcia said,referring to an estimated 300 people who split from the caravanon Monday. "I don't know what's the deal. We have no answers."

Advocacy groups told Reuters that dozens of people left thecaravan and travelled to the crime-ridden eastern state of Veracruz, where they were met by migration officials and police.

Mass repatriation

The government said Monday evening that some 400 people inthe caravan had already been sent back to their home countries.

Geronimo Gutierrez, Mexico's ambassador to the UnitedStates, told CNN that Mexican authorities were "looking at the status of the individuals so we can proceed either with arepatriation process" or offer humanitarian relief. That could include granting asylum or humanitarian visas.

Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are among the mostviolent and impoverished countries in the Americas, promptingmany people to leave in search of a better life.

Trump, who ran for office in 2016 on a platform to stemillegal immigrants from Mexico, said he had "told Mexico" he hoped it would halt the caravan.

The migrant caravan also poses a political problem forMexico's unpopular government in a presidential election year.

Enrique Pena Nieto is barred by law from seekingre-election in the July 1 vote, but the ruling party candidate is running third, well behind the front-runner.

The government does not want to be seen as kowtowing tothreats by Trump, who is deeply unpopular in Mexico.

In a country where millions of people have friends orrelatives who have migrated legally or illegally to the United States, many Mexicans harbour sympathy for the Central Americans.