Networks of life in Central American migration transiting through Mexico. A case study in Zacatecas

Abstract

In the last five years, migrant flows from South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, have increased despite the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic. As a result, their numbers have decreased, but migrants from these regions have always been present in Mexico, striving to achieve "their American dream." At the end of 2020, the countries that make up the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTC) had approximately one million people outside their places of origin, most of whom were already residing in the United States or experiencing international migration in transit. The migrant caravans that began in 2018 increased the flow and allowed for the incorporation of a greater number of female and minor migrants, both accompanied and unaccompanied, making up one-tenth of the total migrant population in the Northern Triangle of Central America. Regardless of the type of support offered to Central American migrants, their ability to cope with problems during their transit to the United States varies, depending on the socioeconomic characteristics of the individuals involved in this experience, the functionality of their social support networks, and their skills in managing digital networks.