Far from home, but with their country in their hearts, dozens of migrant families celebrated the independence of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, sheltered in Ciudad Juárez, after fleeing violence.
With typical dishes, costumes, and the flags of their countries, more than 85 people in a mobility context who are waiting for an appointment to enter the United States on a regular basis, through the CBP One digital application, shared their culture and traditions at the Pan de Vida shelter. While in Mexico today, September 16, Independence Day is celebrated, in the countries of northern Central America it is celebrated on September 15, so compatriots from states such as Puebla, Michoacán, Durango, and Mexico City made pozole and enchiladas; Salvadorans made pupusas, Hondurans made baleadas, and Guatemalans made chuchitos. “They celebrate on the 15th, we all celebrate the same thing, it’s like getting out of the routine a little bit, we celebrate for a little while, we socialize, we have fun, we talk about each other’s anecdotes about how they spend their time here in Mexico, how those who are going to leave feel, we also go to celebrate the people who are going to leave because their appointment has already come up,” said Ismael Martínez, director of the shelter located in the La Conquista neighborhood, in the northwest of the city. Ana and Alberto had to flee two months ago from the violence in Michoacán and arrived in Ciudad Juárez with their four daughters, ages 2 to 6, with whom they remain sheltered while waiting for an appointment to enter the United States through an official port of entry. “This was the closest border we had, we came for safety,” said Ana while decorating the Mexican area of the party at the shelter with the tricolor flag, hats and the National Soccer Team jersey. “It is a beautiful celebration, even though we are far from the people we love, because here with all the families that live here, one learns about other cultures,” he said. Alberto also highlighted that even though they are far from their families, they were able to celebrate their homeland with the traditional Grito de Independencia and the enchiladas that they had to cook.
They put up their flags
Each country raised its flag and cooked a typical dish, like the Hondurans who made baleadas, which are a kind of flour tortilla tacos with beans and cheese; the Salvadorans, who made popusas, similar to Mexican gorditas, and the Guatemalans who made chuchitos, a kind of tamales stuffed with meat and red chili. “In Guatemala, the whole week is celebrated, here there are states, there are departments, and all week a torch passes through all the departments, they run and form like caravans,” said one of the Central Americans while showing the flag of his country. Elizabeth, 60 years old, dressed in the typical clothes of her country to celebrate Independence Day from afar, and is still waiting to get the appointment that she began to process on March 29, 2024, with the hope of being able to reunite with her daughter in the United States. According to data from the State Population Council (Coespo), the Municipality of Juárez and the directors of the shelters, there are currently about 1,350 people sheltered in the city waiting to cross the border regularly through the CBP One application.
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