Migrants adopt new routes through Chiapas Sierra

Migrants are increasingly utilizing alternative routes through the Sierra de Chiapas to bypass traditional checkpoints and continue their journey toward central and northern Mexico. According to Luis García Villagrán of the Centro de Identificación Humana, many Central American migrants are opting for these mountain paths, sometimes traveling by train before entering the rugged terrain, to avoid institutional controls.

These new routes present significant dangers due to geographic isolation and the potential presence of criminal groups. While many migrants from Central America, the Caribbean, and Venezuela are moving through these areas, others, including citizens from Cuba and Haiti, remain in the border city of Tapachula awaiting responses from immigration authorities.

Tapachula serves as a critical hub, receiving a high volume of asylum requests. Experts warn that the region faces growing social and economic pressure as deportees from Central American countries attempt to regroup and move northward again. There are calls for coordinated public policies across different levels of government to address the increasing humanitarian needs for housing and assistance.