VILLA AHUMADA/PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico, Sept 30 (Reuters) – Hundreds of migrants were stranded in Mexico kilometers from the border with the United States after the freight train they were traveling on stopped moving, amid an ongoing suspension of operations on routes north due to fears about the safety of migrants.
Grupo México Transportes, part of the Grupo México conglomerate and which operates the local company Ferromex, reported last week that it stopped the movement of 60 freight trains due to a “notable increase” in migrants who use them clandestinely to travel.
The company later said it had restarted some routes where “high risk” conditions did not exist.
However, on Friday a Reuters witness saw hundreds of migrants aboard a train stopped in a desert area near Villa Ahumada, about 123 kilometers from the border Ciudad Juárez, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua.
“They treat us badly, like animals,” said Sasha Pacheco, who was on the stopped train, surrounded by her family, including a baby. “We are in a desert, because there is not even a single tree (…) we are only an hour away from reaching (our destination), but walking can be up to a day with a baby.”
Grupo México could not immediately be contacted about the sudden stop of the train. Earlier in the day, the company had said they had no additional updates to share on the exact number of trains that were still stopped.
“Concentrations of migrants continue to be monitored, and trains are moved to ensure continuity of traffic, but avoiding high risks for people and operations,” he added.
For years, migrants trying to reach the United States have crossed Mexico riding freight trains known as “The Beast” because of the risks posed by rail travel. (Reporting by José Luis González in Villa Ahumada and Daniel Becerril in Piedras Negras; with additional reporting by Isabel Woodford and Kylie Madry in Mexico City; Writing by Isabel Woodford; Edited in Spanish by Noé Torres)
Source: Ambito
