Jose Torres and LizbethDiaz

VILLA COMALTITLAN Mexico (Reuters) – Hundreds of Venezuelans have escaped from Mexico’s southern border to Guatemala this week. This is just as Mexico considers tightening restrictions for their entry to the country.

Reuters interviewed a dozen Venezuelans, who claimed that they fled poverty and hardships in Venezuela to make their way in the caravan with around 3,000 others from Tapachula.

Luis Garcia was one of the organizers of the caravan. He said that Venezuelans comprised between 20 and 30 percent of their group. Some of the most distressing moments on their trek from South America were in Panama’s Darien.

Daysi (a 63-year old Venezuelan citizen from Maracaibo) said that she didn’t wish to remain in Mexico and wanted to move to America. She joined six of her relatives including two of her kids.

“Nobody ever leaves their country for anything. But there are some days where you only eat once. Other days, not at all. There’s no medicine. We’re dead.

Although the government’s National Migration Institute tried to dismantle caravans, it could not tell how many Venezuelans were included in this group that also contained Central Americans.

In 2021, the number of Venezuelans who cross Mexico into Venezuela has risen dramatically. Reuters reported last week that the government was considering tightening entry restrictions to stop the flow.

Tapachula was the second major caravan to leave Tapachula in a month. The caravan reached Villa Comaltitlan on Saturday, state of Chiapas.

A 34-year old Venezuelan woman, Caracas, said that she had been raped and beaten by two men wearing hoods in Darien. She asked for anonymity out of fear of reprisals.

She replied, “They put an arm in my throat.” She added, “I couldn’t say no because they put a gun in my mouth.”

Reuters was unable to independently verify the story. However, she did share a document that showed she had filed a report with her doctors regarding sexual assault. The plan to return to Venezuela was also hers.