{"id":8549,"date":"2021-04-01T08:24:03","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T16:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/?p=8549"},"modified":"2021-04-01T08:29:16","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T16:29:16","slug":"understanding-the-migrant-caravans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/frontpage-en\/understanding-the-migrant-caravans\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Migrant Caravans"},"content":{"rendered":"

by EntreMundos Staff<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over the last few years there has been a social phenomenon occurring in Central America:\u00a0 the massive caravans of Honduran migrants.\u00a0 And Salvadoran, Guatemalan and even Mexican migrants have joined in.\u00a0 What are the reasons for these caravans?\u00a0 A Honduran, using the alias,\u00a0 \u00bb the curly-haired traveler\u00bb explains the situation in a simple summary on his YouTube channel.\u00a0 This article is based on his video.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

There have been various hypotheses offered about why massive numbers of Hondurans migrate including conspiracy theories about some leftist foreigner who has financed their departures.\u00a0 Yet there’s been no convincing information found which prove such theories.\u00a0 The migration out of Honduras beginning since 1990 reached about 66,000 individuals annually.\u00a0 Then Hurricane Mitch hit and after that, major migration in huge numbers started to become a common occurrence because of damage and economic crisis resulting from the storm.\u00a0 To such a degree that counts arrived at as many as 140,000 annually.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the differences between the earlier years and now is that migrants would hire a <\/span>coyote<\/span><\/i> or other contacts who could take them to the US border so they would cross.\u00a0 Why is it, then, that the caravans appeared?\u00a0 Basically, people have created them for economic reasons and for security.\u00a0 Many do not have the money to pay someone who will direct them to the US and so they began to organize themselves into groups to leave, helping and guiding one another along the way.\u00a0 In 2018 the first caravan left Honduras on its way to Guatemala.<\/span><\/p>\n

Something important to note is that migration is not exclusively from Honduras.\u00a0 It is a phenomenon which has been seen in all of Central America, even almost all of Latin America.\u00a0 But the migration from Honduras became more noticeable because of the recent caravans.\u00a0 In 2019 more than 200,000 individuals migrated annually, among them are many who not only go to the US, but to other parts of the world as well, including the neighboring Central American countries.\u00a0 The countries to which most migrate are Spain, Mexico and Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what are actual causes of Honduran migration?<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Natural disasters and climate change:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 As previously mentioned, when Hurricane Mitch hit in 1998, it caused serious damage to infrastructure and the Honduran economy.\u00a0 Then in 2020 the Eta and Iota storms unleashed the same problems causing even more precarious living conditions.\u00a0 Besides that Hondurans suffer from drought and torrential rains which flood the territory.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Poverty:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em> More than 48% of the Honduran population live in conditions of poverty.\u00a0 One in five lives in extreme poverty subsisting on less than $ 2 per day.\u00a0 Add to this the problems of inequality.\u00a0 The difference between the rich and poor is remarkable, to an even greater degree in San Pedro Sula.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Security:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em> Until the 1980’s the country was peaceful.\u00a0 Even its independence was achieved without a need for war.\u00a0 Statistics exist which show that previously the homicide rates were ten in every 100,000 inhabitants.\u00a0 After a <\/span>coup d’etat<\/span><\/i> the statistics were at 80 homicides per 100,000.\u00a0 This was when Honduras began to have the most violent cities in the world–San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.\u00a0 The current situation is somewhat improved, but insecurity lurks just beneath the surface.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Unemployment:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 About 2 million people make their living from the informal economy and their situation has become complicated\u00a0 by the pandemic.\u00a0 More than 3 million are unemployed and have difficulty earning enough just to survive.\u00a0 Many professionals work in unskilled jobs.\u00a0 Opportunities for work are scarce.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The gross national product was growing before 2020, but with the pandemic it was paralyzed. If one takes into account that the Honduran population is mostly young and that Honduras has an advantageous location with its access to two oceans, one might conclude that it has great potential.\u00a0 Unfortunately, especially regarding tourism and commerce, there is no capitalizing on this potential because foreign investors do not have confidence in the Honduran authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The video can be accessed at this link: https:\/\/bit.ly\/2PmxyvG<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by EntreMundos Staff   Over the last few years there has been a social phenomenon occurring in Central America:\u00a0 the massive caravans of Honduran migrants.\u00a0 And Salvadoran, Guatemalan and even Mexican migrants have joined in.\u00a0 What are the reasons for these caravans?\u00a0 A Honduran, using the alias,\u00a0 \u00bb the curly-haired traveler\u00bb explains the situation in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[453,457],"tags":[2911,2910,2909],"class_list":["post-8549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-frontpage-en","category-migration-en","tag-honduran-migration","tag-migration-caravans","tag-migration-to-usa"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pag.-23-map-from-the-document-panorama-de-la-migracion-internacional-en-mexico-y-centroamerica-2015-cepal-oim.-note-numbers-have-changed-up-to-2020-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1724&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7ljt7-2dT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4540,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/politics\/the-migrant-caravan-and-the-murder-of-a-saudi-journalist\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":0},"title":"The migrant caravan and the murder of a Saudi journalist","author":"EntreMundos","date":"19 octubre, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamal Khashoggi\u2019s murder by a US ally has sparked outrage in the US, but dozens of journalists murdered under US-backed regimes in Honduras go unnoticed. The murder of Saudi opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi was especially blatant. He entered a Saudi consulate in Turkey to pick up legal documents that would\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/empadre-ismael-moreno-junto-a-copinh.jpg?fit=537%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/empadre-ismael-moreno-junto-a-copinh.jpg?fit=537%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/empadre-ismael-moreno-junto-a-copinh.jpg?fit=537%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4752,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/migration-en\/exodus-voices-from-the-refugee-caravan-part-3\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":1},"title":"Exodus: Voices From The Refugee Caravan, Part 3","author":"EntreMundos","date":"3 noviembre, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The following interviews were conducted in Chiapas, Mexico, a week and a half after the caravan set out from San Pedro Sula, Honduras on October 13. \u00a0 Juan Carlos, from the small city of Comayagua, Honduras is traveling with his wife and three children. He explained that he can\u2019t make\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abMigration\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Migration","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/migration-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/dsc03539.jpg?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/dsc03539.jpg?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/dsc03539.jpg?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/dsc03539.jpg?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/dsc03539.jpg?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8157,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/environment\/migration-a-consequence-of-hurricanes\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":2},"title":"Migration, a Consequence of Hurricanes.","author":"Majo Recinos","date":"19 enero, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By EntreMundos The countries of Central America have been the setting for many environmental events, including tropical storms, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and, most frequently, hurricanes. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua suffered the worst disaster of the 20th century with the arrival of Hurricane Mitch to Guatemala through Puerto\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abClimate Change\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Climate Change","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/environment\/climate-change\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flooding_rio_la_pasion_at_sayaxche_-_guatemala_8_october_2008-1.jpe","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flooding_rio_la_pasion_at_sayaxche_-_guatemala_8_october_2008-1.jpe 1x, https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flooding_rio_la_pasion_at_sayaxche_-_guatemala_8_october_2008-1.jpe 1.5x, https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/flooding_rio_la_pasion_at_sayaxche_-_guatemala_8_october_2008-1.jpe 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4736,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/frontpage-en\/exodus-voices-from-the-refugee-caravan-part-2\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":3},"title":"Exodus: Voices From The Refugee Caravan, Part 2","author":"EntreMundos","date":"2 noviembre, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The following interviews were conducted in Chiapas, Mexico, a week and a half after the caravan set out from San Pedro Sula, Honduras on October 13. \u00a0 Keila, 23, is from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She never got to go to high school. In Arriaga, by the tracks of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/joselynmarvin.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/joselynmarvin.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/joselynmarvin.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/joselynmarvin.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/joselynmarvin.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4728,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/uncategorized\/exodus-voices-from-the-refugee-caravan-part-1\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":4},"title":"Exodus: Voices From The Refugee Caravan, Part 1","author":"EntreMundos","date":"2 noviembre, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The following interviews were conducted in Chiapas, Mexico, a week and a half after the caravan set out from San Pedro Sula, Honduras on October 13. \u00a0 Yongel is a heavy machinery operator. He said he\u2019s from San Pedro Sula, \u201cthe industrial capital of Honduras.\u201d He spoke about the extortion\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/img_3685.jpg?fit=1200%2C762&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/img_3685.jpg?fit=1200%2C762&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/img_3685.jpg?fit=1200%2C762&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/img_3685.jpg?fit=1200%2C762&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/img_3685.jpg?fit=1200%2C762&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12619,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/politics\/dreams-come-true-in-another-country\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":8549,"position":5},"title":"Dreams Come True in Another Country","author":"EntreMundos","date":"16 enero, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"TRANSLATED BY THOMAS LANG Organizations join forces to advocate for and call more attention to youth and adolescents, especially returned migrants. The dreams of Guatemala\u2019s young people and children force them to move to other countries is the title of an investigative report on migrant children and adolescents by PAMI\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/entremundos-pwb-166-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/entremundos-pwb-166-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/entremundos-pwb-166-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/entremundos-pwb-166-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/entremundos-pwb-166-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8549"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8553,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8549\/revisions\/8553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}