Jose Torres

TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters). Twelve undocumented migrants gathered at Mexico’s southern border on Tuesday. They were trying to get the border authorities in Mexico to give them entry to the United States.

The majority of the migrants were from Central and South America and helped one another seal their lips with plastic threads and needles. This left them little room to drink liquids while using alcohol to clean up any bloodstains.

Irineo Mujica said that migrants were gluing their lips shut in protest. We hope the National Migration Institute will see they are bleeding and that they’re human beings.

Mexico’s immigration agency (INM), stated in a statement that it was “concerning that these measures were carried out with consent and support from those who claim to be their representatives with the intent of pressing authorities for attention on an already given.”

Some of them were carrying children with them when they protested in Tapachula. Tapachula is a border town with Guatemala that has for many months been crowded with migrants waiting to get papers to allow them to cross freely the border.

Yorgelis Rivera from Venezuela said, “I am doing it for my child.” “She hasn’t eaten in the last couple of hours. I don’t see any solution from authorities.”

Rivera stated that “we are like prisoners here”, and added she has been waiting more than one month for an answer from Mexico’s immigration agency.

According to the agency, it is continuing to handle cases and has given priority to vulnerable groups such as children, teenagers, women who are pregnant, criminal victims, persons with disabilities, and elderly.

It said that it received more than 100 applications at its offices in the city’s southern part every day.

The number of immigrants fleeing poverty and violence in Mexico has increased dramatically over the past few years. Mexico witnessed an 87% increase of asylum applicants in 2021, mostly from Hondurans, Haitians, and Hondurans.

According to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, Mexico needs new assistance programs in light of a recent surge of Venezuelans arriving in Mexico. Mexico is now required to have a visa.