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The Latest: Mexican governor pulls offer of transport

DONAJI, Mexico (AP) — The Latest on the caravans of migrants making their way through Mexico (all times local):

9:45 p.m.

Thousands of Central American migrants traveling in a caravan through southern Mexico have had their hopes dashed of being bused to the nation's capital on Saturday after authorities in Veracruz pulled an offer of transportation.

As the caravan crossed into the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, Gov. Miguel Angel Yunes announced that authorities there would be providing not only humanitarian assistance but also offering mass transportation for the migrants.

"It is very important that they be able to move soon from Veracruz toward another place," Yunes said in a video message released in the evening.

Caravan organizers told the migrants that they would be leaving around 5 a.m. for the capital in dozens of buses, apparently enough to accommodate the several thousand people in the group.

But soon afterward, Yunes released a second video saying that because Mexico City's water system was undergoing maintenance and much of the city would be without water over the weekend, it would not be correct to send the migrants there.

Instead he offered to take the migrants to another city in Veracruz until the problem in Mexico City is resolved.

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6:50 p.m.

The governor the Mexican state of Veracruz says thousands of Central Americans in a migrant caravan hoping to reach the U.S. border have been offered transportation.

Miguel Angel Yunes says in a video message that the offer is to take them "to Mexico City or to the place they wish."

Yunes said Friday evening that "it is very important that they be able to move soon from Veracruz to another place."

He added that his priority is "maintaining the safety and health of Veracruz residents."

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2:15 p.m.

Guatemala's president and first lady will travel to the U.S. this weekend as a large migrant caravan continues journeying through southern Mexico hoping to reach the United States, but remains hundreds of miles away from the border.

A press release from Guatemala's presidential office Friday says President Jimmy Morales and First Lady Patricia Marroquin de Morales will "take note of the situation of Guatemalan minors housed in holding facilities administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the North American country" and supervise passport operations at the Guatemalan consulate in Palm Beach.

After his trip concludes, Morales is set to review actions that have been taken in relation to the migrant caravan.

He will travel Monday to Honduras to meet with President Juan Orlando Hernandez about migrants from the caravan who have accepted repatriation through Guatemalan territory. Then he will travel to El Salvador and meet with that country's vice president.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up his pre-election focus on the caravan and others behind it, talking of deploying a military force to the border that would outnumber the roughly 4,000 migrants making the trek.

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8:15 a.m.

The caravan of Central American migrants has resumed their trek through Southern Mexico after spending nearly three weeks on the road.

The group estimated to number some 4,000 is now heading for the town of Donaji near the Gulf coast state of Veracruz.

After sleeping under tin sheeting to cover himself from the rain, Saul Guzman still had hope.

"I've been through a lot," said the 48-year-old traveling with his son. "I want to spend my time differently, not in poverty."

He had left his elderly mother a coffin before setting out on his journey — but said it could also be his own.

Walter Cuello, a caravan organizer, said immigrants would again eat and rest at their next destination.

"We've gotten underway," he said.

A second, smaller group of 1,000 or so migrants is more than 200 miles behind the first caravan. A third band of about 500 from El Salvador has made it to Guatemala, and a fourth group of about 700 has set out from the Salvadoran capital.

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