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Tijuana Residents Protest Migrant Caravan

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Published on 26 Nov 2018 / In News and Politics

TIJUANA, Mexico—More than 300 Tijuana residents took to the streets on Nov. 18, in a rowdy protest against the migrant caravan—which they say forced its way into their country and is demanding to be looked after, even complaining about the food.

Magdalena Baltazar, 40, held a sign saying “Mexicans love beans” after hearing that the migrants, from Central America, had been complaining about the food Mexico has offered them.

“They complained that the tacos, the tortillas with beans, are food for animals,” Baltazar said through a translator. “It is actually one of the foods that people here in Mexico have at home. How is it possible that immigrants come here to criticize Mexico’s food?”

Baltazar wants the Mexican government to do more.

“If they came here to be supported, then they should be returned to their country. Tijuana can’t handle so many people coming just to be supported,” she said. “If they come here for work, then they should look for [work].”

Rodrigo Melgoza held a handwritten sign saying, “Immigrants yes, illegals no.”

“Because I think everyone has the right to create a life in a new country but they have to do it the legal way,” he said. “They should not violate the sovereignty of all Mexicans and of Mexico like these people did there on the border.”

Melgoza said he wants an explanation from the Mexican government as to why the caravan was allowed to march virtually unimpeded right through Mexico to Tijuana.

“Who is financing this? How did they get all the way here, with privileges, food, transportation, and help?” he said.

“And second, let them know we are not going to allow just anyone who comes in an illegal manner to threaten us or simply stay and demand things here in Mexico.”

Melgoza said that although the caravan members said their intention is to gain asylum in the United States, he doesn’t believe President Donald Trump will allow it, if they don’t do it legally.

The Mexican government offered asylum to all caravan members two weeks ago, however most refused and continued to head towards the U.S. border. Currently more than 2,400 caravan members, mostly from Honduras, are bunking down in tents and cots at a municipal sports complex in the Zona Norte district of Tijuana, located adjacent to the San Ysidro border crossing.

Thousands more migrants are expected in the coming days.

Elvia Villegas said she admires Trump, “because he is defending his borders. Not like here in Mexico, where politicians are corrupt and do not defend their borders.”

She wants the Mexican government to deport the migrants.

“They come to offend the Tijuanans and we won’t permit it. I am from Tijuana, I have children from Tijuana, and I am going to defend Tijuana,” Villegas said.

Things got a little heated as the protesters marched toward the migrant camp, but no violence broke out. Protesters were met by rows of police in riot gear, who blocked the street leading to the migrants.

Leslie Espinoza, 33, said she wants the migrants to return home because they are disrespecting Tijuana and Mexico.

“They are breaking the laws, starting from the national anthem. The national anthem says they have to respect our homeland, so it’s mainly that,” she said. “They are crossing our borders with violence.”

A month ago, on Oct. 19, the caravan broke through a fence on the Guatemalan-Mexican border and then attempted to push their way through Mexican police across a bridge into the Mexican town of Ciudad Hidalgo. The migrants were repulsed, and the government offered to let 100 to 200 migrants through each day to apply for asylum. Some of the migrants, impatient with the wait, responded by wading a shallow river.

Guadalupe Arangure, who added some drama to the protest with his rumbling motorbike, said it’s wrong to think it’s a migrant caravan.

“Don’t get it twisted—this is an invasion,” he said. “Once you cross the borders, once you went though those borders with violence it became an invasion.”

Arangure said he supports Trump for securing the U.S. border.

“He’s got to defend his country. We’ve got to defend ours.”

Arangure said the protesters were not out to cause any violence, but to let the migrants know that they are not welcome after breaking through the border.

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