US-bound migrants seeking to pass through Mexico sewed their lips together during a demonstration on Thursday to press demands for safe passes from the Mexican authorities.
Thousands of migrants took part in the demonstration in Huitxla, a town in the southern state of Chiapas, across the border from Guatemala and a common entry point for caravans of migrants into Mexico.
The demonstrators included three women and six men from Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, who sewed their lips together to press their demands for transit permits allowing them to pass through Mexico.
Commenting on the measure adopted by the migrants, veteran Mexican activist Irineo Mujica, an organiser of migrant caravans, said the migrants were simply asking for official documents “to enable them to travel safely.”
“We’re not asking for anything out of the ordinary,” he said, adding "We are united and will continue to struggle until this government understands its actions are criminal.”
The demonstration was held 40km from the town of Tapachula, where thousands of migrants also rallied recently to appeal to the Mexican authorities for transit permits to allow them to walk to the US border.
In addition to Central Americans and people from the Dominican Republic, the demonstrators also included nationals of Venezuela.
Washington recently agreed with Caracas to deport Venezuelan migrants who entered the USA illegally prior to 31 July.
