Etnografía de la ruta migrante: los “caminantes” de la carretera costera de Chiapas, México

Every immigrant arriving to the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico, has a different experience. While some decide to wait in the city of Tapachula while they file a petition for asylum or refugee status, others advance on foot down the coastal highway, where they face inclement weather and harassment by state police, National Guard, agents from the National Migration Institute, prosecutors, and non-state actors. The situation is constantly evolving. This article analyzes these caminantes, the types of transit they choose, the role of information, and the experience they accumulate on their journey that will serve as a guide for “others.” The migration economy that has sprung up around these migrant routes through the region is another focus of the article. The findings stem from ethnographic observation and interviews with the caminantes and local residents completed from 2022 to the beginning of 2024 in an area extending from the Suchiate River to Arriaga in the state of Chiapas.