The beaches are practically empty. Necocli (Antioquia)who until a week ago housed 9,000 migrants who sought to reach USA. The migratory crisis kept the boatmen working non-stop for several days; however, they themselves had to return the transportation money to hundreds of people who chose to return to their home nations, following the new restrictions imposed by the government of Joe Biden.
The announcement, made last Wednesday, fell like a bucket of cold water: although the North American power announced that would receive 24,000 Venezuelan migrants –with conditions, such as demonstrating the economic capacity to remain there–, also warned that It will be drastic with those who enter illegally and will expel them to Mexico.
It was precisely the latter that alerted the vast majority of the population waiting in Necoclí to continue advancing towards Central and North America, since there was still a long and very risky road ahead and the guarantees to reach the United States were reduced.
They are not all gone, but according to the personero Township, Wilfredo Mencothose who remain are waiting to collect the money to return as well, either to their countries of origin or to the cities of Colombia where they were installed.
“Everyone wants to return. They had already separated the ticket to continue, even without having money. Asking and asking, they bought it. But they already asked for the money back, only that that is not enough for them to reach their destination. They are going to subsist with that and then they will see how they return, ”Menco told EL COLOMBIANO.
According to the representative of Necoclí, the people is returning for the same reason –the new restrictions–but for different reasons: some because they believe they have the established requirements to enter the United States and others because they are in such vulnerable situations that they prefer not to take the risk of embarking on the path in vain.
Finally, Menco explained that despite the insistent calls made by the institutions from the municipality -including the Ombudsman’s Office-, the national government did not attend to the migratory crisis that worsened for a few days. “No one from the state has come here. They are called every so often and nothing”he assured, also stating that there is uncertainty due to a new similar crisis.
