Sunday night was the latest effort by Guatemalan authorities to break up the caravan, which officials said numbered close to 8000 people within hours of its departure for the U.

S from Honduras last week.

About 2000 of the migrants installed themselves on the road after they clashed with Guatemalan security forces during a failed effort to make their way past, The Guatemalan government said.

Groups of migrants looked for alternative routes after the clearance.

It was unclear how many were turning back altogether.

The migrants included families with young Children.

Many say they're fleeing poverty and lawlessness in a region rocked by the coronavirus pandemic and two hurricanes in November.

The first migrant caravan of the year comes just days before the inauguration of U.

S President elect Joe Biden, who promised to adopt a more humane approach to migration than outgoing President Donald Trump, who favored AH hardline approach.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday warned migrants not to try to enter countries by force and said he was in touch with both the outgoing and incoming US administrations over the migrant caravan.