El Tren de La Muierte

8/12/2019 El Tren de La Muierte

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http://www.dallasobserver.com/2007-07-26/news/el-tren-de-la-muerte/full/

El Tren de la Muerte

Central mer!can m!"rants r!s# l!fe and l!mb on the death tra!ns to Te$as

Comments %&' () Me"an *eldman Thursda)+ ,ul 26 2007

Cl!c# here for more photos from th!s stor)

El!as dan"les the dead !"uana b) the ta!l. !s fr!ends close !n around h!m+ watch!n"

hun"r!l). !th a #n!fe he sl!ces throu"h scal) "reen s#!n and peels !t bac# to reveal

blood) meat+ dar# red and "l!sten!n" !n the sun. or#!n" u!c#l)+ he carves the l!ard

!nto sect!ons1head+ front and bac# le"s+ upper and lower torso1and drops the parts !n

a pan. Then he places !t over the f!re the)ve made near the tra!n trac#s. 3weat tr!c#les

down h!s forehead+ st!n"!n" h!s e)es. The men are u!et wh!le the) wa!t for the l!ard to

coo#. 3omet!mes the) s!n" and tell stor!es+ but for now the)re too hot and hun"r). The)

s!t and watch the f!re.

These m!"rants have some &+400 m!les to travel.

,enn!fer 3)mase#

These m!"rants have some &+400 m!les to travel.

5elated 3tor!es

!d allas C!t) Counc!l ,ust ut the C!t)s ater 3uppl) at 5!s# *or 8&+6009

*ebruar) &+ 20&

;t Too# !"hland ar#s allas Countr) Club ,ust &< =ears to elcome (lac#

r!vate Eu!t) E$ec

*ebruar) &+ 20&

The 20 (est Concerts !n allas Th!s ee#+ *ebruar) &

*ebruar) &


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?mn! otel elps 5el!eve Convent!on Center ebt9 @reat. ll e Aeed ;s &0 of

Them.

*ebruar) &


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"rabs the one th!n" he #nows he cant afford to lose1a leather cattle lasso1and spr!nts

toward the trac#s. ;ts a stampede. undreds of Central mer!cans become a chaot!c

tan"le of pump!n" le"s and arms+ a mass of human!t) dr!ven b) the same !nsane "oal:

r!d!n" some &+000 m!les throu"h Me$!co on fre!"ht tra!ns so dan"erous the)re #nown

collect!vel) as El Tren de la Muerte+ the eath Tra!n. The)ve all heard about the

"an"sters and band!ts that la) !n wa!t alon" the trac#s+ not to ment!on the corrupt

federales #nown to beat and rob m!"rants+ even throw them from the tra!ns. (ut now+

El!as "reatest fear !s the tra!n !tself+ Ba (est!a+ as some call !t. The (east. ?ver the past

few da)s+ v!lla"ers have caut!oned h!m. F@o bac# to )our countr)+F ur"ed old men+

shop#eepers+ women sell!n" tort!llas. F;ts too dan"erous.F The) told of m!"rants

decap!tated+ suc#ed under the tra!n+ l!mbs severed. F3e los com!o el tren+F the)d sa)+

FThe tra!n ate them up.F

El!as !s terr!f!ed of los!n" a le" or+ worse+ "ett!n" cut !n half. (ut the alternat!ve !s ust

as bad: "o!n" home empt)-handed to face the b!ll collectors threaten!n" to ta#e

ever)th!n" hes wor#ed for. Ao+ he wont turn bac#. Aot after bus!n" throu"h @uatemala

and tre##!n" throu"h the un"les and mounta!ns of southern Me$!co. Aot after the

ordeal !n Ch!apas+ on the path from Ba rrocera.

!th 8


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tra!ns+ respond!n" to acc!dents that have left people dead or d!sf!"ured and hand!n" out

water to deh)drated m!"rants+ man) of whom are on the!r wa) to Te$as.

hen she pulls up alon"s!de the tra!n trac#s on th!s ,une morn!n"+ ; ump out of the

bac# of the truc# and follow her+ "rabb!n" m) noteboo# and a bottle of water. ;ve come

to Me$!co to retrace parts of El!as ourne)+ to understand wh) mass!ve numbers of

m!"rants are w!ll!n" to r!s# the!r l!ves !n such a brutal wa) and to learn+ !f at all

poss!ble+ what !t means for Te$as+ the In!ted 3tates and !mm!"rat!on reform. 5ecent

med!a reports su""est more people have been travel!n" north !n the hope that Con"ress

w!ll pass a comprehens!ve b!ll. few of the m!"rants ; meet ment!on the le"!slat!ve

efforts. ?ne onduran 20-someth!n" tells me he !s certa!n he w!ll be able to l!ve le"all)

!n the I.3. once he crosses the border. F@eor"e (ush+F he sa)s solemnl)+ Fw!ll s!"n h!s

perm!ss!on.F

The tra!n !s barrel!n" toward us now+ blow!n" !ts horn. bout 40 m!"rants run alon"s!de

!t+ and more than &00 are alread) r!d!n". The) s!t on the tops of the cars+ stand on led"es

!n between them and han" from ladders on the s!des. ?n top of one blac# bo$car+ a

"roup of men have mana"ed to erect a crude fort of branches covered w!th a tarp for

shade. F@et downHF 3alas hollers to the men+ who are sm!l!n" and wav!n". 3he "estures

w!ldl) w!th her hands. F@et down lowHF The rumbl!n" !s too loud+ and the) cont!nue

wav!n" unt!l the tra!n !s past. 3alas sha#es her head. FThere are electr!c w!res up ahead+F

she sa)s. Fe have to rescue people who "et electrocuted all the t!me.F

The tra!n !s mov!n" too fast for new m!"rants to "et on here+ so the)ll wa!t unt!l

tomorrow. ;n the meant!me+ more people are arr!v!n"+ stumbl!n" and e$hausted after the

two-to-f!ve-da) tre# from @uatemala.

eople sa) Me$!cos border w!th the In!ted 3tates !s porous+ but !ts noth!n" compared

to Me$!cos southern border+ where pol!t!cal not!ons of nat!onal boundar!es are+ for all

pract!cal purposes+ !rrelevant. ;nstead of desert+ there !s un"le+ a tan"led blan#et of

dense fol!a"e cloa#!n" flatlands+ r!vers and mounta!ns. nd ever) da) the verdant

landscape !s crawl!n" w!th people. Most are from onduras+ @uatemala and El

3alvador+ but others have come even farther+ from 3outh mer!ca and even s!a. The)wal# alon" roads and on worn pathwa)s+ hac#!n" throu"h v!nes w!th machetes and


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sleep!n" on the mo!st earth under trees and bushes. The) cross r!vers and wal# e$tra

m!les to avo!d border chec#po!nts. Aot that theres much to the border. t the El Ce!bo

cross!n" !nto Me$!co from @uatemala+ theres no chec#po!nt at all on the @uatemalan

s!de and ust a small Me$!can !mm!"rat!on off!ce w!th a few bored-loo#!n" a"ents

outs!de.

() all accounts+ the flow of m!"rants over Me$!cos southern border has "rown from a

narrow stream 20 )ears a"o to a m!"ht) r!ver+ and wh!le an) numer!cal calculat!on

undoubtedl) falls short+ off!c!al data from the Me$!can "overnment shows a 72 percent

!ncrease !n the number of Central mer!can m!"rants deta!ned between 2002 and 2004.

Each )ear nearl)


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!n the I.3. Fherever @od allows us to "o+F sa)s the mother+ a fa!r-s#!nned onduran

w!th a blond pon)ta!l. ; also meet a sh) 2&-)ear-old woman who loo#s about &6. 3he

tells me she was nauseated on the lon" wal# from @uatemala because she was three

months pre"nant.

s the number of m!"rants on the tra!ns has "rown+ so have the deaths+ !nur!es and

amputat!ons+ not to ment!on the v!olence unleashed a"a!nst the fore!"ners b)

opportun!st!c band!ts+ corrupt author!t!es and v!c!ous members of the Mara 3alvatrucha+

a Central mer!can "an" whose members have fled law enforcement crac#downs !n

the!r own countr!es and have set up bases !n southern Me$!co. hen Me$!can res!dent

*el!pe Calderon too# off!ce !n ,anuar)+ he pled"ed to slow !mm!"rat!on across the

southern border and stop the constant robber!es+ assaults+ rapes and murders. 3!$ months

later+ not much has chan"ed.

; met onduran newl)weds @!ovan! costa and Darla ernande at a m!"rant shelter !n

the church !n Tenos!ue. The)d arr!ved earl) that morn!n" and were rest!n" on the floor

after a harrow!n" n!"ht. s the) wal#ed throu"h the un"le !n the dar#+ out of water and

dr!n#!n" from cattle trou"hs alon" the wa)+ three men !n mas#s umped out of the

fol!a"e. The men+ hold!n" "uns and machetes+ forced them to str!p and l!e face-down on

the "round. The) too# the couples last &00 pesos %8&0'+ as well as the!r soap+ c!"arettes

and even the!r shoes. The pa!r wal#ed three hours barefoot unt!l a store#eeper "ave

them sandals and some food. The) were cons!der!n" turn!n" bac#. (ut costa+ whose

closel) cropped curls and dash!n" sm!le ma#e h!m loo# l!#e a Bat!n *ran# 3!natra+ sa!d

he d!dnt #now what hed do !f the) went home. es an electr!c!an who stru""les to f!nd

decent-pa)!n" obs. F;n onduras+ !f )ou bu) a pa!r of shoes+ )ou "o a da) w!thout

food+F he sa!d. ernande+ a short woman w!th full chee#s and d!mples+ #new she was

luc#) she wasnt raped. Fhen the man sa!d "o !nto the bushes and "et down on the

"round+ ; thou"ht+ ?h m) @od+F she sa!d.

5ape !s so common on the m!"rant tra!l that man) women ma#!n" the!r wa) throu"h

@uatemala be"!n ta#!n" b!rth control p!lls or stash!n" condoms !n preparat!on for what

l!es ahead. 3alas+ the (eta coord!nator+ sa)s she once found a woman l)!n" alon" the

h!"hwa) to @uatemala. The woman had res!sted band!ts who tr!ed to rape her+ and themen beat her+ bro#e her left arm and used machetes to slash her le"s to r!bbons. ;n the


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wa) to "et r!d of the "ra!n) d!rt that coats h!s mouth and st!c#s between h!s teeth. The

temperature cl!mbs to >4 de"rees dur!n" the da)+ dress!n" h!m !n a su!t of st!c#) sweat

and "r!me. !s ha!r !s matted !n mudd) clumps.

!s mother would be horr!f!ed to see h!m now. e d!dnt even tell h!s parents he was

leav!n". hen h!s brother left w!thout sa)!n" a word three )ears earl!er+ El!as vowed

hed never end up !n the same pos!t!on. Inl!#e h!s )oun"er brother+ he had sta)ed !n

school. e planned to "raduate and become an en"!neer. e never d!d+ thou"h. ;n

onduras+ school !snt free+ and attend!n" reu!res mone) for suppl!es and un!forms. s

he made h!s wa) throu"h h!"h school+ he watched older fr!ends w!th d!plomas fa!l to

f!nd obs !n the f!elds the)d stud!ed.

El!as ended up rent!n" a stall !n a local mar#et and open!n" a cosmet!cs store+ sell!n"

shampoos and lot!ons+ lad!es face cream and 3cope. e h!red a woman to wor# the

re"!ster+ and for a wh!le sales were "ood enou"h to be"!n bu!ld!n" h!s own home+ so he

could move out of h!s parents house. (ut then h!s luc# turned. ed ust wanted a small

house+ but the men he h!red bu!lt !t wa) too b!" and spent too much mone). 3ales at the

store started to tan#K !t seemed l!#e all the small shops were "o!n" bro#e because the)

couldnt compete w!th the b!" stores. 3oon El!as was drown!n" !n debt. There was no

wa) hed be able to repa) the 827+000 he owed w!th &2 percent !nterest1the ban#

would repossess ever)th!n". 3o he had one cho!ce: o what tens of thousands of

ondurans do each )ear1"o north. hen h!s fr!end edro+ a truc# dr!ver !n the!r

hometown of Choluteca+ as#ed h!m to come alon" and r!de the tra!ns+ he sa!d )es. ;t was

the onl) wa) out+ he thou"ht+ and bes!des+ !t would be an adventure.

El!as mother cr!ed and pra)ed for da)s after h!s brother+ now a carpenter !n allas+ left

for the I.3.+ so he told h!mself hed call home when he was closer+ past most of the

dan"er. Aow+ t!red and sore+ he cons!ders the !ron) of !t all. ed been sure he would

show h!s parents and h!s n!ne s!bl!n"s how successful he was+ w!th h!s own house and

bus!ness. nd !nstead+ here he !s+ bound l!#e an an!mal to the ladder and pra)!n" that

when n!"ht falls+ he wont sleep throu"h shouted warn!n"s of a pol!ce chec#po!nt+ or

worse+ fall pre) to band!ts or "an" members. e pra)s he wont have to face another

s!tuat!on l!#e the one he found h!mself !n da)s before.


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El!as+ edro and two other ondurans had been wander!n" !n the un"le+ lost+ tr)!n" to

f!nd the r!"ht place to "et the tra!n. The)d entered Me$!co !n Tapachula+ on the ac!f!c

s!de near @uatemala+ but because the tra!n trac#s had been washed awa) b) a hurr!cane+

the) wound up wal#!n" e!"ht da)s toward the @ulf+ to Tenos!ue. (efore the) found

the!r wa)+ the) came to an adobe house on the outs#!rts of a l!ttle town !n Ch!apas called

Ba rrocera. El!as d!dnt #now !t+ but the !solated cattle town !s notor!ous. ;ts #nown to

be !nhab!ted b) locals who help author!t!es catch m!"rants. The madr!nas+ or

"odmothers+ as these predator) v!lla"ers are called+ often pose as m!"rants themselves !n

order to beat+ rape and rob+ and the)re perm!tted b) croo#ed off!c!als to #eep part of

what the) steal. El!as as#ed an old rancher who stood outs!de the adobe house !f he had

an) food to spare. The man shoo# h!s head. FAo+F he sa!d. F(ut theres a woman up

ahead who can help )ou. =oull come to two houses+ each on a h!ll. ?ne !s bad+ and one

!s "ood.F El!as stared blan#l) for a moment. Fell+ wh!ch one !s "ood9F he as#ed. F?ne

!s bad+ and one !s "ood+F the man sa!d a"a!n. ?D+ El!as thou"ht+ hopefull) @od w!ll lead

us to the "ood one.

,ust as the man sa!d+ up ahead were two l!ttle houses. prett) woman+ around 0+ came

out of the one on the r!"ht and called down to them. FMuchachos+ ven"a+F she sa!d.

FCome on+ bo)s1)ou need someth!n" to eat9F El!as and the others followed her !nto

the modest home+ where she d!shed out "enerous port!ons of beans+ e""s and r!ce. s

the) devoured the food+ El!as not!ced the womans three sons watch!n" them. The

oldest+ who loo#ed about 20+ offered one of the m!"rants a Me$!can ;. s h!s fr!end

loo#ed at the card+ El!as d!scoura"ed h!m !n a wh!sper. Fho #nows who that !s9F he

told h!m. F;ts probabl) some cr!m!nal1dont bu) !t.F !s fr!end !"nored h!m and pa!d

for the ;. few m!nutes later+ the womans three sons emer"ed from a bedroom

wear!n" boots and wal#ed out the door. FThe)re "o!n" for soda+F the woman sa!d.

=eah+ r!"ht+ El!as thou"ht+ feel!n" h!s stomach s!n#. fter the) pa!d 40 pesos each for

d!nner and wal#ed outs!de+ he vo!ced h!s susp!c!ons. F@et some roc#s+F he sa!d. FThese

"u)s are "o!n" to show up down the road.F

3ure enou"h+ a few m!nutes later+ the three brothers leaped out of the brush. The oldest

one had a .22+ the ne$t )oun"est a machete and the smallest a lar"e st!c#. FTh!s !s a

robber)HF the oldest )elled. e shot at the "round+ spra)!n" mud from the recent ra!ns.


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The m!"rants dropped the!r roc#s. FB!ne upHF the "unman ordered. The m!"rants

obe)ed. FAow+ l!e downHF

s the others compl!ed+ El!as stood rooted to the "round. e refused to "!ve up h!s

mone)1how would he eat9

F@et down and "!ve me )our mone)HF the "unman demanded.

F; dont have an)+F El!as repl!ed.

F; #now )ou have some+ ; saw !t !n the house+F the "unman sa!d. e smashed El!as over

the head w!th the .22. F@et on the "roundHF

Th!s t!me+ head throbb!n"+ El!as d!d as he was told. The two )oun"er brothers were

alread) r!fl!n" throu"h h!s fr!ends clothes loo#!n" for cash. The "unman #!c#ed El!as

hard !n the r!bs and bac#+ then )an#ed off h!s A!#es and loo#ed !ns!de for mone).

Buc#!l)+ El!as had tuc#ed !t under the !nsoles. e felt the "un barrel press !nto h!s

forehead. ;t seemed l!#e h!s heart was beat!n" clear up to h!s ears. as th!s !t9 as he

"o!n" to d!e here+ !n the mud !n the m!ddle of nowhere+ w!thout ever spea#!n" to h!s

fam!l) a"a!n9

,ust then+ footsteps sounded on the path beh!nd them. The band!t stra!"htened. Fow

man) people are beh!nd )ou9F he as#ed.

F3!$+F El!as answered+ ma#!n" !t up.

Fre there women9F the man as#ed.

F=eah+ there are women+F El!as l!ed. The cold metal l!fted from h!s head.

F@et out of hereHF the band!t )elled. El!as umped up and ran. ;nstead of s!$+ a "roup of

some 0 m!"rants rounded the corner. The )ouths tr!ed to rob them+ but !t was too lar"e

a crowd+ and the m!"rants all ran down the road and toward the tra!ns.


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El!as and h!s fr!ends wal#ed w!th the "roup for another few da)s before f!nall) arr!v!n"

!n Tenos!ue. fam!l) who l!ved near the trac#s let the )oun" ondurans use the!r

shower and sleep !n the front )ard. ?ne afternoon+ El!as was #!ll!n" t!me near the trac#s

when he not!ced a 0-!sh man on crutches. e was m!ss!n" a foot. El!as nodded !n

"reet!n". Fhere )ou headed9F he as#ed. F3ame place as )ou+F the man sa!d. ;t turned

out hed sl!pped wh!le pull!n" h!mself onto a tra!n. e thou"ht he was f!ne and started to

"et up+ he told El!as+ but then he not!ced the blood) stump where h!s foot had been. e

later wo#e up !n the hosp!tal. The man was determ!ned to cont!nue h!s ourne)+ !ns!st!n"

he would hop the tra!n a"a!n+ crutches and all.

fter the th!rd da) of r!d!n" t!ed to the ladder+ El!as cant stand !t an)more. e wants to

f!nd h!s fr!end edro+ so he unt!es h!mself and cl!mbs to the top of the tra!n. Crouch!n"

there+ he ta#es a breath and stead!es h!mself before stepp!n" over to the platform. There

he stands hold!n" the ra!l!n"+ w!nd stream!n" past h!s face and throu"h h!s d!rt) ha!r.

Th!s !s much better.

e wal#s over the top of the car+ slowl) at f!rst. e leaps from one car to the ne$t and

traverses n!ne before spott!n" edro. !s fr!end !s stand!n" on the top run" of a s!de

ladder near two other ondurans. edro sm!les+ surpr!sed to see h!m. F; thou"ht )ou "ot

left beh!nd+F he sa)s. The) s!t to"ether on top of the bo$car. To pass the t!me+ El!as

s!n"s. lot of the m!"rants carr) small (!bles+ or a few pa"es w!th scrawled verses.

Most wear rosar!es. (ut El!as ust pra)s+ often !n son". F3o much ; have w!th m) Bord+

so much ; owe to m) sav!or+F he s!n"s. F;f ; could repa) h!s lov!n" "race+ ; would "!ve

all m) soul.F

Tenos!ue+ a cattle town recentl) dubbed the FTrampol!ne to mer!caF b) a Me$!can

newspaper+ !s def!ned b) the tra!ns. The) mar# the passa"e of t!me+ and not ust for

m!"rants attempt!n" to ump them. *or emer"enc) rescue crews+ the pass!n" of a tra!n !s

l!#e the alarm at a f!rehouse+ the s!"nal to sl!de down the pole and run to wor#. *or

*ather (las+ the calm and ph!losoph!cal pr!est who runs the m!"rant shelter beh!nd the

church+ the sound means the arr!val of bro#en souls. nd for res!dents l!#e Cel!a

@ut!erre+ who cleans rooms at a local hotel+ a tra!n wh!stle on the f!rst 3aturda) of the

month !s an opportun!t) to be a "ood 3amar!tan b) runn!n" out to the trac#s w!thsandw!ches and tort!llas for the people r!d!n" the tra!ns.


12/19


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Fll ondurans are motherfuc#ers+F the man declares to the onduran store owner.

Fell see about that+F the owner+ a burl) man !n h!s 0s+ repl!es+ narrow!n" h!s e)es.

F;m 3alvatrucha+ motherfuc#er+F the man sa)s+ referr!n" to the Central mer!can street

"an".

El!as attempts to defuse the tens!on. Font f!"ht+F he sa)s. Fere all Central

mer!can.F

The 3alvadoran turns and l!fts h!s sh!rt to show a machete strapped around h!s wa!st. F;

dont "!ve a sh!t+F he sa)s. F;f th!s f!"ht were w!th )ou+ ;d have alread) sl!t )our throat.F

!thout warn!n"+ the pet!te woman whos marr!ed to the owner darts out from beh!nd

the counter and unsheathes the "an"sters machete !n one sw!ft mot!on. F=ou wont be

f!"ht!n" !n hereHF she )ells+ hold!n" the machete !n the a!r. er husband !s bes!de her

now. *or a moment the )oun" mans face re"!sters shoc# and confus!on+ but he sa)s

noth!n" and turns to leave.

El!as cant bel!eve !t1how !s !t poss!ble that th!s man+ a member of the le"endar) Mara

3alvatrucha+ was ust d!sarmed b) a t!n) shop owners w!fe9 nd !ts not over. The store

owner "rabs the "an"ster b) the sh!rt and punches h!m repeatedl) !n the face. hen the

mans le"s buc#le he dra"s h!m out front b) the collar and leaves h!m !n the "utter+

throw!n" a few last punches. Font )ou ever come bac# here+F he sa)s.

The m!"rants watch+ hold!n" the!r dr!n#s !n s!lence.

Theres a 3pan!sh e$press!on: FTodo se compra+ Todo se vende.F FEver)th!n" can be

bou"ht or sold.F erhaps nowhere !s !t truer than alon" the human smu""l!n" routes

throu"h Me$!co. M!"rants are rout!nel) beaten and robbed b) cops and e$torted b)

!mm!"rat!on a"ents. nd as much as m!"rants depend on smu""lers for at least part of

the ourne)+ !ts d!ff!cult to tell wh!ch ones the) can trust.


15/19

;n Tenos!ue+ ; meet a muscular man w!th tattoos on h!s arms and a rosar) around h!s

nec#. The m!"rants call h!m Baredo+ wh!ch !s st!tched !n wh!te letters on h!s nav)

baseball cap. hen ; as# !f hes made th!s tr!p before+ he nods !ndul"entl)+ as !f ;ve

as#ed !f he can r!de a b!#e. F;ve l!ved !n ust!n+ (oston+ Dansas. ;ve entered the

countr) 20 t!mes. Cross!n" here !snt hard+ !ts "ett!n" across the border up there+F he

sa)s+ lean!n" casuall) on a lon" machete. ; wonder !f he !s a smu""ler+ and later+ 3alas+

the (eta coord!nator+ conf!rms m) susp!c!ons. F?h+ )eah1!ts obv!ous hes a pollero+F

she sa)s+ us!n" a common term for co)ote.

3mu""lers often pa) tra!n conductors to stop for m!"rants+ and 3alas has had her fa!r

share of confrontat!ons w!th the tra!n compan!es. FTwo wee#s a"o a woman was

stand!n" b) the trac#s+ hand!n" her -)ear-old to someone on the tra!n before "ett!n" on

herself+ and because she d!dnt have mone) to pa)+ the dr!ver pulled out and left her+F

3alas tells me. The horr!f!ed mother told nearb) v!lla"ers+ who told (eta+ and soon 3alas

and her a"ents were rac!n" after the tra!n to rescue the toddler. The dr!ver f!nall)

stopped after several hours+ she sa)s+ and the) returned the ch!ld to the mother.

s ; l!sten to these stor!es+ the I.3. 3enate !s about to abandon the f!rst maor

!mm!"rat!on overhaul !n 20 )ears. nd !n Me$!co+ where people are w!ll!n" to r!s# a

half-doen terr!f)!n" attempts to cross the countr) on the eath Tra!ns+ where co)otes

ma#e a prof!t and off!c!als turn a bl!nd e)e+ the pol!c) debate seems mean!n"less. s

lon" as hundreds of thousands of people are w!ll!n" to r!s# los!n" the!r l!mbs and the!r

l!ves to come to mer!ca each )ear+ few chan"es on the I.3. border w!ll ma#e a

d!fference w!thout ser!ous efforts to create obs !n Central mer!ca and Me$!co.

;n Central mer!ca F)ou have a s!tuat!on where a few fam!l!es l!ve e$tremel) well+

spend l!ttle on educat!on and health care+ pa) l!ttle ta$+ and bas!call) have unfulf!lled

obl!"at!ons to the!r downtrodden+F sa)s @eor"e @ra)son+ a Me$!co e$pert who teaches

at the Colle"e of !ll!am and Mar). FThe absence of Me$!cos border certa!nl) ma#es

l!fe more d!ff!cult for the I.3. and !ts law enforcement a"enc!es+ but there are steps we

should be ta#!n". e cant s!mpl) abandon our borderK otherw!se )oud have 24 percent

of the world !n the In!ted 3tates.F


16/19

(ac# !n Tenos!ue+ on a Monda) a l!ttle after 7 a.m.+ 3alas calls our hotel. FG!ene el

trenHF she sa)s. M!nutes later were runn!n" alon" the trac#s. e cross a br!d"e over a

waterwa) and come face to face w!th the onduran teens we met the da) before. The)

"reet us w!th sm!les and pose for the camera w!th tou"h-"u) stares. The tra!n has

rounded a corner and chu"s toward us+ !ts headl!"hts resembl!n" enormous "low!n"

e)es. FGCamelloHF )ells the tall man !n the blue bandanna+ the one loo#!n" forward to

the prett) "!rls !n M!ssour!. FCome over hereH *!ve on th!s s!de+ f!ve on the otherHF The)

spl!t and wa!t on each s!de of the trac#s. The tra!n !s almost here. F(e careful+F warns an

older m!"rant. F;f !ts "o!n" too fast+ there w!ll be others.F 5usset+ "ra) and wh!te

bo$cars "l!de past w!th hordes of people stand!n" on top. hen the tra!n !s past+ the &0

"u)s rema!n on the trac#s. F;t went too fastHF one sa)s. The) ta#e off !n a run+ hop!n"

the tra!n w!ll slow. e spr!nt after them. FG3e detuvoHF one screams. F;t stoppedHF

oens of people clamber onto the caboose+ and ; real!e !t was l!#el) Baredo who pa!d

off the dr!ver. Furr)+ hurr)+ "et onHF one man stand!n" on the tra!n )ells to the runn!n"

ondurans. The) ma#e !t ust !n t!me. ll &0 cl!mb aboard and the tra!n moves forward+

!nch!n" toward El Aorte. ; lean on m) #nees+ catch!n" m) breath+ and watch the wav!n"

teena"ers "row small !n the d!stance.

Fre )ou ?D9F El!as mother as#s h!m as he stands at a phone booth. *r!ends of h!s

have told her where he has "one.

F=eah+ ;m f!ne+F he sa)s.

Font l!e to me.F

F;m f!ne+ Mam.F

Fh) d!d )ou leave l!#e Marv!n d!d+ w!thout tell!n" me9F

F; d!dnt want )ou to worr).F 3he a"rees to w!re h!m the 8&+000 depos!t for Mart!n+ the

co)ote. 3hell ta#e !t from the cosmet!cs store+ another add!t!on to El!as debt. ell

cont!nue north w!thout edro+ who doesnt have enou"h mone) to pa) a smu""ler and

plans to ta#e h!s chances on the tra!n all the wa) to Te$as.


17/19

The rest of the ourne) seems endless. *rom the be"!nn!n" the tr!p has depended on

luc#+ but r!d!n" the tra!ns reu!red hustle and cunn!n" as well. Aow+ El!as feels helpless+

pac#ed l!#e a 2-b)- !nto a covered p!c#up w!th a doen other m!"rants+ !nclud!n" a &7-

)ear-old who o!ns El!as for lau"hter and a ser!es of d!rt) o#es. fter what seems l!#e

forever+ the) cl!mb out of the veh!cle and sw!m across the 5!o @rande near Baredo+ then

f!le !nto a small house !n the Te$as desert. Mart!n went home before the) crossed the

r!ver+ so El!as !s !n the hands of the co)otes assoc!ates. E!"ht da)s pass w!th some


18/19

?n the fourth da)+ a downpour !nterrupts the dr)ness. El!as clothes are soa#ed+ and

after a few hours the chaf!n" on h!s arms and le"s "rows so pa!nful that he str!ps to h!s

bo$ers. 3oon hes sh!ver!n" !n the Aovember ch!ll.

The) reach a road the ne$t da) and are f!nall) p!c#ed up b) a truc#. El!as !s loaded !nto

a lar"e metal toolbo$ !n the bac# and told the dr!ve w!ll ta#e a few hours. Eleven hours

later+ nearl) froen+ he f!nds h!mself !n ouston+ where h!s cous!ns p!c# h!m up. The)

br!n" h!m home to allas+ where he sta)s w!th them !n *armers (ranch and attends

church at Templo Cr!sto 5e). Throu"h people he meets at church+ he f!nds a dr)wall

!nstallat!on ob that pa)s 8J an hour and be"!ns wor#!n" s!$ &0-hour da)s a wee#.

hen ; meet h!m for the f!rst t!me !n Ma)+ he has been !n allas for s!$ months. F; love

!t here+F he sa)s+ w!th a sm!le full of wonder. F;ts clean+ orderl). ?ur countr!es are

chaot!c.F ; ment!on that some mer!cans worr) that !mm!"rants are overcrowd!n" the

In!ted 3tates and ma#!n" !t more l!#e Bat!n mer!ca. e nods. F; understand th!s !snt

m) countr). ; #now ;m not a c!t!en+ and ;m not as#!n" to be one. ; ust want

perm!ss!on to wor#.F e !s d!sma)ed to f!nd out that h!s onl) chance at res!denc) !s

marr)!n" an mer!can or "ett!n" sponsored b) h!s boss. FThe "u) ; wor# for !s !lle"al

too1how am ; "o!n" to as# h!m for help9F he sa)s+ lau"h!n". Fell both "et thrown

outHF ;ts stran"e+ he th!n#s+ how so much !s determ!ned b) where )oure born. () luc#.

es "rateful when he "oes to bed at n!"ht+ and hes "rateful when he wa#es at 7 a.m. for

wor#. To h!m+ there !s someth!n" sat!sf)!n" about han"!n" dr)wall1the prec!s!on of the

corners+ the spac!n" of the screws and na!ls. s he seals the seams w!th mud+ us!n" a

tap!n" #n!fe to smooth the wet o!nt compound+ he th!n#s about h!s ourne)+ about the

l!fe beh!nd h!m. e wonders what happened to edro. fter El!as arr!ved !n allas+ h!s

fr!end contacted h!m to sa) hed been deported somewhere near the border. e recentl)

made a th!rd tr) on the tra!ns+ but the last El!as heard from h!m was wee#s a"o+ when he

called from 3an Bu!s otos!. El!as has met m!"rants who have tr!ed s!$+ e!"ht+ &0 t!mes

to "et throu"h+ and thou"h he real!es how fortunate he !s to have made !t on the f!rst

attempt+ he worr!es. bout h!s "!rlfr!end+ Mar!bel+ and whether shell wa!t for h!m.bout sav!n" for a car and how hell re"!ster !t w!thout le"al res!denc). bout when the


19/19

boss w!ll "!ve h!m a ra!se and how hell mana"e to save 80+000 to repa) h!s debts and

return to onduras. s much as he l!#es !t here+ the stead) pa)+ the wa) traff!c l!"hts

wor# and cops are "enerall) decent and women can wal# down the street w!thout

draw!n" catcalls at ever) step+ he )earns for home.

F;m not "o!n" to be here forever+F he tells me. FMa)be four )ears+ w!th the "race of

@od.F Then he pauses+ #now!n" that th!s !s what most people sa) when the) "et here+ as

unprepared for the real!t!es of l!fe !n mer!ca as the) were for the ourne) here. FThen

a"a!n+ m) cous!n sa!d hed onl) be here for two )ears+ and hes alread) been here for

e!"ht+F he sa)s. F; "uess )ou never #now.F

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El Tren de La Muierte