Immigrants: Trump threatens to close the border with Mexico

Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to close the border with Mexico to prevent thousands of Central American immigrants from reaching the United States, raising one of his favorite campaign themes to a three-week election. crucial mid-term.

"I must, in the strongest terms, ask Mexico to stop this assault - and if it is not able, I will appeal to the US military and CLOSE OUR SOUTH FRONTIER! .." he tweeted, renewing his threats to cut financial aid to the Central American countries concerned.

The head of the American diplomacy Mike Pompeo must go on Thursday and Friday to Panama then to Mexico.

Trump rode again on one of his main hobby horses - which helped his presidential victory in 2016 - to three weeks of legislative elections in which Republicans could lose their majority in the Senate and / or representatives room.

About 2,000 immigrants left San Pedro Sula on Saturday in Honduras after a call on social networks. They then crossed the border with Guatemala to Esquipulas (southeast), and some reached Thursday the Guatemalan capital.

Another 1,000 Hondurans crossed the border with El Salvador on Wednesday with the intention of crossing the country to join the march in Guatemala.

A first group of a few hundred immigrants arrived late Wednesday on the border between Guatemala and Mexico. Many slept in sleeping bags on the street or in squares, according to an AFP correspondent.

Many of them only traveled with a few extra clothes and a little money. Others carried young children in their arms.

Several immigrants told AFP that they were waiting for the rest of the march to arrive, in order to cross the border en masse in the hope of overflowing the Mexican authorities, who announced that they would arrest anyone with no papers.

- "Political calculation" -

According to Mr. Trump, this march is "pointed" by the Democrats. The Republican billionaire accuses the opposition party of being in favor of the opening of borders and the origin of laws that he deems lax.

The leaders of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador "do very little to stop the huge influx of people, MUCH OF DELINQUANTS," he also denounced.

"The assault on our country on our southern border, including the criminal elements and the DRUGS who are flocking, are much more important to me, as president, than trade and the EUMCS," the recent trade agreement reached in September between Canada, Mexico and the United States, Trump said in a third message.

A senior government official Trump told reporters that this "caravan" of immigrants had not "appeared" alone. "There is a political and organizational aspect that frankly aims to sow chaos and discord," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Marcelo Ebrard, appointed foreign minister by Mexican President-elect Manuel Lopez Obrador, downplayed the remarks of the US president, saying he was playing on his electoral base.

"The position of President Trump is the one he has always held, and I do not find it surprising, I would be surprised by a different position," he told a local radio. "It was predictable and the elections are very close, so he makes a political calculation," he added.

- Illegal immigration -

US Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo is scheduled to meet with Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela on Thursday to discuss "regional issues including the fight against narcotics, terrorism and illegal immigration," said a statement from the US Department of State. State.

Pompeo will then discuss Friday with the outgoing President of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto, to address including the fight against illegal immigration, according to this release.

More than 500,000 people illegally cross the southern border of Mexico each year and then try to get back to the United States, according to UN figures.

Many flee violence and poverty in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. While in Mexico, they are often abused by criminal gangs and human traffickers.

Since taking office in January 2017, the Trump administration has tightened its migration policy. The Republican president repeats, at will, want to build a wall on the border with Mexico but he has not managed to date vote funds by the Congress to carry out this project.

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