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Bestia. O ludziach, którzy nikogo nie obchodzą
Idą tysiącami. Uciekają przed gangami, przemocą i biedą. Z Salwadoru, Hondurasu, Gwatemali do wymarzonych Stanów Zjednoczonych. Każdego dnia nielegalni imigranci z Ameryki Środkowej wędrują przez Meksyk. Od tropikalnych lasów na południu po jałowe pustynie na północy. Pieszo, busami, na dachu pociągu. I każdego dnia dziesiątki, setki z nich padają ofiarą napadów, porwań, gwałtów i morderstw. Autor wędruje z imigrantami przez cały Meksyk i soczystym, mocnym językiem opisuje ich codzienność, stając się świadkiem dramatycznego przełomu. Małe bandy napastników i spontaniczne okrucieństwo zwykłych ludzi ustępują miejsca precyzyjnej działalności prawdziwych zawodowców: na scenę wkraczają kartele narkotykowe. Wstrząsający obraz współczesnego Meksyku i poruszająca opowieść o przestępczym przemyśle oraz jego ofiarach, które zdają się nikogo nie obchodzić.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
270 people are currently reading
6893 people want to read
About the author
Óscar Martínez
68 books143 followersÓscar Martínez writes for ElFaro.net, the first online newspaper in Latin America. The original edition of his book Los migrantes que no importan was published in 2010 by Icaria and El Faro, with a second edition by Mexico’s sur+ Ediciones in 2012. Martínez is currently writing chronicles and articles for El Faro’s project, Sala Negra, investigating gang violence in Latin America. In 2008, Martínez won the Fernando Benítez National Journalism Prize in Mexico, and in 2009, he was awarded the Human Rights Prize at the José Simeón Cañas Central American University in El Salvador.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
May 8, 2015
This book is about migrants in Mexico. The first part of the book (over half) investigates migrants in the south of Mexico who cross the border in Guatemala. Most of these are from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. They are escaping poverty, crime – seeking a better life in El Norte (the U.S.). Admittedly some of these migrants belonged to gangs and are fleeing violence in their own country.
The conditions they encounter in southern Mexico are horrendous. Since they are illegal they cannot seek protection because they will be deported – and anyway the police are corrupt. They are robbed, kidnapped and beaten, and women are raped. There is trafficking of girls and young women from Central America to bar-brothels in southern Mexico. The Mexican narco gangs have moved in to stake out this territory. Kidnappings usually consist of large groups of Central Americans, from twenty to over one hundred, held hostage. Sometimes they are duped by “friendly coyotes” (guides) into giving phone numbers of family members in El Norte – other times they are simply beaten. The kidnappers contact the family members to extort money.
The title of the book (“Beast”) refers to the freight trains the migrants hop on to traverse Mexico. They board these trains at night in train yards and sit on top or hang onto the sides of the cars. It is a perilous ride – some fall off never to be seen again. It is said that the rail tracks in remote areas of Mexico are littered with the bodies of dead migrants. And here too, they fall prey to gangs. It should be pointed out that these gangs are organized crime (Narco gangs) which operate the length and breathe of Mexico. One cannot start a “gang” without “joining” the large picture (Sinola cartel, Los Zetas...).
Up north it is just as treacherous with Mexican migrants now joining the trek to El Norte. The migrants are competing with narco traffic and drug mules - and the ever increasing U.S. Border Patrols. Even with this increased competition it is estimated that thousands still make it to the U.S. every year. Some are caught and sent back, others die in the desert or from narco crime. When crossing the migrants must make sure they are not in the same area as the narco gangs who do not tolerate competition.
The author is from El Salvador (this book has been translated from Spanish to English) and he travelled with migrants interviewing them and experiencing their plight first hand – all this gives the book a very strong feeling of reality. It is focused on the individual experiences of the migrants.
I did not appreciate the introduction by Francisco Goldman who is telling us, before we have even begun the book, how great it is. He also compared it to Katherine Boo’s “Behind the Beautiful Forevers”. I disagree entirely. This book by Oscar Martinez is structured so that each chapter is almost independent of the others – each standing on its’ own as an exploration of the migrant experience.
The conditions they encounter in southern Mexico are horrendous. Since they are illegal they cannot seek protection because they will be deported – and anyway the police are corrupt. They are robbed, kidnapped and beaten, and women are raped. There is trafficking of girls and young women from Central America to bar-brothels in southern Mexico. The Mexican narco gangs have moved in to stake out this territory. Kidnappings usually consist of large groups of Central Americans, from twenty to over one hundred, held hostage. Sometimes they are duped by “friendly coyotes” (guides) into giving phone numbers of family members in El Norte – other times they are simply beaten. The kidnappers contact the family members to extort money.
The title of the book (“Beast”) refers to the freight trains the migrants hop on to traverse Mexico. They board these trains at night in train yards and sit on top or hang onto the sides of the cars. It is a perilous ride – some fall off never to be seen again. It is said that the rail tracks in remote areas of Mexico are littered with the bodies of dead migrants. And here too, they fall prey to gangs. It should be pointed out that these gangs are organized crime (Narco gangs) which operate the length and breathe of Mexico. One cannot start a “gang” without “joining” the large picture (Sinola cartel, Los Zetas...).
Up north it is just as treacherous with Mexican migrants now joining the trek to El Norte. The migrants are competing with narco traffic and drug mules - and the ever increasing U.S. Border Patrols. Even with this increased competition it is estimated that thousands still make it to the U.S. every year. Some are caught and sent back, others die in the desert or from narco crime. When crossing the migrants must make sure they are not in the same area as the narco gangs who do not tolerate competition.
The author is from El Salvador (this book has been translated from Spanish to English) and he travelled with migrants interviewing them and experiencing their plight first hand – all this gives the book a very strong feeling of reality. It is focused on the individual experiences of the migrants.
I did not appreciate the introduction by Francisco Goldman who is telling us, before we have even begun the book, how great it is. He also compared it to Katherine Boo’s “Behind the Beautiful Forevers”. I disagree entirely. This book by Oscar Martinez is structured so that each chapter is almost independent of the others – each standing on its’ own as an exploration of the migrant experience.
September 8, 2020
Context: I've been on a reading binge that focuses on immigration to the USA. I think I have a decent understanding of the internal American policies and a sense of the push/pull factors that lead people to decide to come here, at least as much as a privileged US citizen can "understand" these things. This book was essential to fill in the gaps of exactly how people cross the border. It's really not as simple as one day you up and leave your home, family, and heritage. It's a long and arduous journey riddled with politics and drugs and tenacity and fear. It reminded me that transience can be a permanent lifestyle when there are so many barriers to moving on. I wish I understood Spanish, though-- the translation was good but I'm sure the original text was even better.
May 6, 2019
This book should be required reading for all politicians. I was often teary-eyed as I read this book, yet ultimately horrified at what so many Central American immigrants experience as they journey through Mexico. Written by a journalist from El Salvador, Oscar Martinez interviews migrants and locals as he experiences the Migrant trail.
September 9, 2016
"We're walking among the dead. Life's value seems reduced, continuously dangled like bait on a fishing line. Killing, dying, reaping, or getting raped - the dimensions of these horrors are diminished to points of geography. Here on this rock, they rape. There by that bush, they kill"
"He's going to talk because it's not like he's accused of a serious crime. We don't have anyone accused of serious crimes here. They're accused of murder, rape, or robbery. Never of drug trafficking"
"She said it was the people she traveled with who raped her. They'd told her they were migrants and convinced her to walk with them. Then all three of them raped her. When her son aborted between her legs, the bandits killed him with blows. Then they beat the woman until she lost consciousness."
word count: about 90 000
rating: no, sheer effort put into writing a book and a horror of it will not make me rate it high
It's worth reading. Please, just hear me out.
content in general: ****
facts/materials/effort: *****
structure/writing: ***
***ARC recieved from NetGalley***
What is this book about? The miserable fate of immigrants during their long and insanely dangerous journey. The story of their plight as witnessed by one (IMO insane) journalist (*I think he had a photographer with him). The book consists of description of fate/lives of people he meets on his way. Both migrants and indigenous.
Why do I think he's insane? Because he fucking risked his life. A lot. For years. To gather enough material to write this book. It takes a special kind of person to poke at those things. He didn't just talk to authorities, oh no, that would be boring. He travelled with migrants! That's right! Did all the crazy stuff they do. And bam! Now he's willing to share this sad, sad picture...
No. No matter how tempted I am to give it 4 stars just for the sheer insane effort that went into writing this book, I can't. Don't get me wrong. It's a good book. It's a chilling book. It's a fascinating book. But by no means 100% perfect.
And remember kids, 3*** means 'I liked it'.
So what went wrong? What stopped this book, which had a potential to be stunningly amazing, from reaching the stars?
At first I loved it. Then I got confused. First thing it lacked (that stopped it from being 5***** book) was a little map. Either at the end or beginning of the book or (preferably) at the start of every chapter. Since the book follows a rout the author took, it would be nice to have a map. You know, to make it more tangible. And yes, I could look at my own map, but seriously, who could be bothered?
Than there's a repetitive nature of this book. Try as you may, it's the same sad story told over and over again (similar stories, but well...). And lack of map made me forget what place I am reading about. More distinguishable features would be lovely, just to keep it more varied.
Also, I'm an evil, evil bitch. Which means that the author annoyed me. Quite a lot. And that's why 4**** are out of the question for me. But hey, it may be me. It may be a matter of my fucked up perception, but he seemed to write (quite often) along the lines of: there were golden times when migrants roamed free, but now it's gone. No. Those were NOT golden times. Immigration MUST be regulated for a heap of reasons. DON'T romanticize those 'open' borders of old. I try to keep my reviews short (aka readable), so I will not get into all the details. But unregistered migrants are a bad thing. Not just because they commit crimes (sometimes) but probably even more so because they are defenceless victims of them (exploitation at work, blackmail, extortions, rapes, trafficking, kidnappings... you name it). And they can't go to the police.
Was the book interesting? Yes. And morally outraging. Corruption of authorities paired with well organized, powerful gangs and their violence create hell. This is why moral codes of our society are so important. If not, average people give in to corruption, also authorities are in on the crime. What hope is there then? What life is that?
"Los Zetas are like a metastasizing cancer. Migrants are recruited. Soldiers are recruited. Policeman, mayors, businessmen - they're all liable to become part of the web. "
"It's a conservative estimate that 40% of all state police units have been bought by Los Zetas"
This book is NOT for the faint hearted. It's in your face. Unapologetic. It presents you with a truly horrible problem that has no easy solution. Could the migrants just stay at home? No, they quite often run from things. Terrible, terrible things. In fact, this book makes you wonder if creatures living in those areas (south from USA) can even be called people (before you lynch me, the answer is YES). If they all should just get nuked from the orbit, for their lack of moral principles is sickening. Not just gang violence, but absolute lack of compassion among 'normal' people, their willingness to hurt others, to abuse any power they have, to get some gains from human suffering or add to it or cause it.
"What was her life like? Like a slave's, she says. At five years old, her job was to walk the streets, selling fish and firewood. If she came back with something still in her hands because she hadn't sold everything, Maria Dolores would whip her with an electrical cable until she had open sores on he back. Then Maria Dolores would cover those cuts with salt and oblige her "little twin" to lick it off. It was on one of those days, one of those sore-licking days , that her brother died on the floor where they both slept. They said it was parasites, Erika says. She's convinced that those parasites came from the sores on her back. [...] "...After that, I lived like a drunk on the streets, sleeping between dumpsters." She lived like that for two years. [...]...Maria Dolores talked her into coming back. "The physical abuse wasn't as bad, but, in general, life was worse. Omar, one of the woman's sons, was fifteen years old and repeatedly raped her. "That's why I wonder if I'll ever understand what it is to have normal sex. I got so used to him tying up my legs and arms and having sex with me like that" [...] Erika, the girl who was repeatedly raped from age eight to thirteen, gave birth to twins and then, as if her suffering were inevitable, her story goes on. "I didn't understand what pregnancy was. I only felt I was getting fat. That woman accused me of being a whore. I told her it was her son that did it, but she told me I was like my mother, a prostitute, and that just like her I'd ditch my future kids like dogs. She dragged me out of the house naked and walked me five blocks to a nearby park and left me there. And so I had to start completely from scratch."
See what I mean? And that's just one story!
That doesn't work against the book. The true horror of the situation is actually what makes it good.
Sounds like I should have loved it, right? I should. I'm into social issues. But! Nope.
- some statements are pounded into our heads to death
- those inexplicable bits (plentiful bits) romanticizing immigrants are infantile
- total lack of understanding on the side of the author that immigrants are a problem, not just victims. And that making their journey comfortable and safe is NOT a solution! THAT killed 4**** rating for me. But it doesn't make the book any less worth reading. Just more biased and, at least for me, objectively a product deserving a lower rating. And personally, because that annoyed me.
- demonization of US attempts to close the border
- repetitive nature of the book (the fault is in writing, seriously, I almost gave up on it a few times)
all those things mean I can't give it a sparkling review. The bias of the author really got on my nerves. And because of the subject matter and the enormous effort put into gathering the material for it I feel like I should apologize. Like I should love it just for what it is about... THIS is why I was putting off writing this review for, well, forever. I hate feeling this way.
My final verdict? It's good. Depending on how much you know, it can be shocking. It doesn't focus on one story, one place. It skims, and jumps, and introduces you to abundance of facts. It's also infuriating (in a sense that it makes me want to keep all those fucking gangs far away from me. Or, preferably, kill them. All of them) Should you read it? Depends on what type of person you are, really, but I think that getting confronted with an uncomfortable reality is a healthy thing.
"He's going to talk because it's not like he's accused of a serious crime. We don't have anyone accused of serious crimes here. They're accused of murder, rape, or robbery. Never of drug trafficking"
"She said it was the people she traveled with who raped her. They'd told her they were migrants and convinced her to walk with them. Then all three of them raped her. When her son aborted between her legs, the bandits killed him with blows. Then they beat the woman until she lost consciousness."
word count: about 90 000
rating: no, sheer effort put into writing a book and a horror of it will not make me rate it high
It's worth reading. Please, just hear me out.
content in general: ****
facts/materials/effort: *****
structure/writing: ***
***ARC recieved from NetGalley***
What is this book about? The miserable fate of immigrants during their long and insanely dangerous journey. The story of their plight as witnessed by one (IMO insane) journalist (*I think he had a photographer with him). The book consists of description of fate/lives of people he meets on his way. Both migrants and indigenous.
Why do I think he's insane? Because he fucking risked his life. A lot. For years. To gather enough material to write this book. It takes a special kind of person to poke at those things. He didn't just talk to authorities, oh no, that would be boring. He travelled with migrants! That's right! Did all the crazy stuff they do. And bam! Now he's willing to share this sad, sad picture...
No. No matter how tempted I am to give it 4 stars just for the sheer insane effort that went into writing this book, I can't. Don't get me wrong. It's a good book. It's a chilling book. It's a fascinating book. But by no means 100% perfect.
And remember kids, 3*** means 'I liked it'.
So what went wrong? What stopped this book, which had a potential to be stunningly amazing, from reaching the stars?
At first I loved it. Then I got confused. First thing it lacked (that stopped it from being 5***** book) was a little map. Either at the end or beginning of the book or (preferably) at the start of every chapter. Since the book follows a rout the author took, it would be nice to have a map. You know, to make it more tangible. And yes, I could look at my own map, but seriously, who could be bothered?
Than there's a repetitive nature of this book. Try as you may, it's the same sad story told over and over again (similar stories, but well...). And lack of map made me forget what place I am reading about. More distinguishable features would be lovely, just to keep it more varied.
Also, I'm an evil, evil bitch. Which means that the author annoyed me. Quite a lot. And that's why 4**** are out of the question for me. But hey, it may be me. It may be a matter of my fucked up perception, but he seemed to write (quite often) along the lines of: there were golden times when migrants roamed free, but now it's gone. No. Those were NOT golden times. Immigration MUST be regulated for a heap of reasons. DON'T romanticize those 'open' borders of old. I try to keep my reviews short (aka readable), so I will not get into all the details. But unregistered migrants are a bad thing. Not just because they commit crimes (sometimes) but probably even more so because they are defenceless victims of them (exploitation at work, blackmail, extortions, rapes, trafficking, kidnappings... you name it). And they can't go to the police.
Was the book interesting? Yes. And morally outraging. Corruption of authorities paired with well organized, powerful gangs and their violence create hell. This is why moral codes of our society are so important. If not, average people give in to corruption, also authorities are in on the crime. What hope is there then? What life is that?
"Los Zetas are like a metastasizing cancer. Migrants are recruited. Soldiers are recruited. Policeman, mayors, businessmen - they're all liable to become part of the web. "
"It's a conservative estimate that 40% of all state police units have been bought by Los Zetas"
This book is NOT for the faint hearted. It's in your face. Unapologetic. It presents you with a truly horrible problem that has no easy solution. Could the migrants just stay at home? No, they quite often run from things. Terrible, terrible things. In fact, this book makes you wonder if creatures living in those areas (south from USA) can even be called people (before you lynch me, the answer is YES). If they all should just get nuked from the orbit, for their lack of moral principles is sickening. Not just gang violence, but absolute lack of compassion among 'normal' people, their willingness to hurt others, to abuse any power they have, to get some gains from human suffering or add to it or cause it.
"What was her life like? Like a slave's, she says. At five years old, her job was to walk the streets, selling fish and firewood. If she came back with something still in her hands because she hadn't sold everything, Maria Dolores would whip her with an electrical cable until she had open sores on he back. Then Maria Dolores would cover those cuts with salt and oblige her "little twin" to lick it off. It was on one of those days, one of those sore-licking days , that her brother died on the floor where they both slept. They said it was parasites, Erika says. She's convinced that those parasites came from the sores on her back. [...] "...After that, I lived like a drunk on the streets, sleeping between dumpsters." She lived like that for two years. [...]...Maria Dolores talked her into coming back. "The physical abuse wasn't as bad, but, in general, life was worse. Omar, one of the woman's sons, was fifteen years old and repeatedly raped her. "That's why I wonder if I'll ever understand what it is to have normal sex. I got so used to him tying up my legs and arms and having sex with me like that" [...] Erika, the girl who was repeatedly raped from age eight to thirteen, gave birth to twins and then, as if her suffering were inevitable, her story goes on. "I didn't understand what pregnancy was. I only felt I was getting fat. That woman accused me of being a whore. I told her it was her son that did it, but she told me I was like my mother, a prostitute, and that just like her I'd ditch my future kids like dogs. She dragged me out of the house naked and walked me five blocks to a nearby park and left me there. And so I had to start completely from scratch."
See what I mean? And that's just one story!
That doesn't work against the book. The true horror of the situation is actually what makes it good.
Sounds like I should have loved it, right? I should. I'm into social issues. But! Nope.
- some statements are pounded into our heads to death
- those inexplicable bits (plentiful bits) romanticizing immigrants are infantile
- total lack of understanding on the side of the author that immigrants are a problem, not just victims. And that making their journey comfortable and safe is NOT a solution! THAT killed 4**** rating for me. But it doesn't make the book any less worth reading. Just more biased and, at least for me, objectively a product deserving a lower rating. And personally, because that annoyed me.
- demonization of US attempts to close the border
- repetitive nature of the book (the fault is in writing, seriously, I almost gave up on it a few times)
all those things mean I can't give it a sparkling review. The bias of the author really got on my nerves. And because of the subject matter and the enormous effort put into gathering the material for it I feel like I should apologize. Like I should love it just for what it is about... THIS is why I was putting off writing this review for, well, forever. I hate feeling this way.
My final verdict? It's good. Depending on how much you know, it can be shocking. It doesn't focus on one story, one place. It skims, and jumps, and introduces you to abundance of facts. It's also infuriating (in a sense that it makes me want to keep all those fucking gangs far away from me. Or, preferably, kill them. All of them) Should you read it? Depends on what type of person you are, really, but I think that getting confronted with an uncomfortable reality is a healthy thing.
June 11, 2014
I dedicate this review to 70,000 missing migrants, to the 100,000 dead from the Mexican drug war and the 8 out 10 migrant women who are raped as they travel el norte. It is a small witnessing, but I do it for you.
As the lights flicker a little bit in the American empire, we see the cracks in facade, but we must remember that we still cast a very large shadow, and we must remember those in the shadows. There isn’t a more forgotten or scorned people on this continent than the central American migrant, and Oscar Martinez gives us a tour of their world. This tour is the tour of hell. The horrible fates along this trail rival Dante and the violence seems pulled from the pages of Cormac McCarthy novel, but this is reporting, and Martinez reports it with compassion and humanity. This hell is ruled by the indifferent and at times hostile gods of the U.S. and Mexican governments and populated by more active demons like MS13 and Los Zetas, and “The beast”( a vicious almost legendary train that migrants need to hop). We start south in the violence wracked and collapsing countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. We learn the stories of those who travel north, many not just seeking a better wage, but actually fleeing for their lives. Then we travel through the desolate regions of Chiapas where the migrants are prey to bandits. Then to the ‘the beast”, descriptions of travels on the train are unreal. Bandits jumping on or being attacked with convoys of trucks, people trying to jump on and not get mutilated or killed, and once there on having to cling to the train for dear life while fighting off sleep. Then to the ghost towns and desolate regions of the border or “wall”, the deadly Rio Grande and deserts, and the hell of Ciudad Juarez. There the migrants are caught between the border patrol, the narcos, and their own coyotes. Martinez is in the Ciudad Juarez during the height of the drug war and his reporting is frightening, a city of pure fear and violence, a near civil war. He rides with the border patrol, the migrants, and those who few who try to help them without financial motivation, and those who prey on the migrants. He lets all of these voices speak. He is reporter and provides no real solutions to the disasters he witnesses, but we owe these who are among the most forgotten people in the Americas at least to hear their stories. Martinez tells it so well if you can stomach the subject matter it is a joy to read, and you will not forget it.
As the lights flicker a little bit in the American empire, we see the cracks in facade, but we must remember that we still cast a very large shadow, and we must remember those in the shadows. There isn’t a more forgotten or scorned people on this continent than the central American migrant, and Oscar Martinez gives us a tour of their world. This tour is the tour of hell. The horrible fates along this trail rival Dante and the violence seems pulled from the pages of Cormac McCarthy novel, but this is reporting, and Martinez reports it with compassion and humanity. This hell is ruled by the indifferent and at times hostile gods of the U.S. and Mexican governments and populated by more active demons like MS13 and Los Zetas, and “The beast”( a vicious almost legendary train that migrants need to hop). We start south in the violence wracked and collapsing countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. We learn the stories of those who travel north, many not just seeking a better wage, but actually fleeing for their lives. Then we travel through the desolate regions of Chiapas where the migrants are prey to bandits. Then to the ‘the beast”, descriptions of travels on the train are unreal. Bandits jumping on or being attacked with convoys of trucks, people trying to jump on and not get mutilated or killed, and once there on having to cling to the train for dear life while fighting off sleep. Then to the ghost towns and desolate regions of the border or “wall”, the deadly Rio Grande and deserts, and the hell of Ciudad Juarez. There the migrants are caught between the border patrol, the narcos, and their own coyotes. Martinez is in the Ciudad Juarez during the height of the drug war and his reporting is frightening, a city of pure fear and violence, a near civil war. He rides with the border patrol, the migrants, and those who few who try to help them without financial motivation, and those who prey on the migrants. He lets all of these voices speak. He is reporter and provides no real solutions to the disasters he witnesses, but we owe these who are among the most forgotten people in the Americas at least to hear their stories. Martinez tells it so well if you can stomach the subject matter it is a joy to read, and you will not forget it.
February 7, 2016
This account is immediately gripping & I have great respect for the author & his photographer trekking along with the migrants -- it could almost be considered the same as war reporters on the front lines.
While I'm not within immediate access of the Mexican/US border, I am in the South, so we have a relatively large migrant population here. Not everything I read is new to me -- I was aware that there were dangers & knew some of what was faced. But, it's one thing to know that the dangers exist, but quite another to read very detailed & personal stories attached to those dangers (whether the trains, the authorities, the cartels, the rapes, the kidnappings, the terrain, etc...). I guess the sheer number of hurdles, the extreme pervasiveness of the dangers, just the enormity of it all is what is eye-opening & shocking. It's like an up-front seat vs. viewing something from a distance.
The Beast needs to be required reading for everyone who resides in the Americas.
While I'm not within immediate access of the Mexican/US border, I am in the South, so we have a relatively large migrant population here. Not everything I read is new to me -- I was aware that there were dangers & knew some of what was faced. But, it's one thing to know that the dangers exist, but quite another to read very detailed & personal stories attached to those dangers (whether the trains, the authorities, the cartels, the rapes, the kidnappings, the terrain, etc...). I guess the sheer number of hurdles, the extreme pervasiveness of the dangers, just the enormity of it all is what is eye-opening & shocking. It's like an up-front seat vs. viewing something from a distance.
The Beast needs to be required reading for everyone who resides in the Americas.
June 28, 2017
Living in Nicaragua, I regularly meet people who have migrated or want to migrate to neighbouring countries. I’ve also met people who take their chances going to Spain without a visa (including one who claimed to be going ‘by bus’; she was actually going to El Salvador). I know people who’ve migrated to the US and made enough money to come back on visits. But I’ve never met anyone preparing to make the trip north by land, following the migrant trails to Texas or New Mexico, and then crossing the Rio Grande without bona fide papers. If I did, I’d have to tell them what I’ve learnt from ‘The Beast’ by Óscar Martínez.
The Beast is the collective name for the freight trains (there are no passenger trains) that make their way from some of Mexico’s southern cities towards Mexico City and then north to the US border. The trains are an essential means of transport for migrants who have little money and may need to travel 3,000 miles or more before they even enter the US. But they are also deadly, and not only because Central Americans cling precariously to the tops of freight cars from which (if they fall asleep, for example) they can easily drop under the wheels. The train routes, and the trains themselves, are plagued by violent gangs and casual bandits who want to rob, rape or kidnap migrants. Unlike any other train journey in the world, there is a high probability that a ride on The Beast will end in death, mutilation or some kind of captivity.
Martínez is an extraordinary writer who pursues his story like the most assiduous investigative journalist, but writes it in such a captivating way that it reads like a novel. It’s difficult to think of a book or even a documentary or feature film (and there are several) that captures the migrant story more effectively. The book is full of drama, but the drama comes from the tales of the migrants themselves, or the people who assist them, as Martínez persuades migrants to tell him where they came from, why they left, and what is happening to them as they head northwards.
On just one 24-hour leg of The Beast’s journey that Martínez covers, there are about 100 armed assaults on the train. One reason is that a large group of migrants is being protected by ‘polleros’ (literally, ‘chicken-keepers’) who they have paid to accompany them. But the polleros’ line of communication with the gang who controls that stretch of line has broken down, and they are under attack. They repel their attackers (who follow the train by road) several times before eventually abandoning the train with their ‘pollos’ (chickens) to melt into the countryside.
In southern Mexico, the main threat to the migrants is bandits, gang rivalry and failure to meet the demands of those who want to exploit them. As they get towards the border, the threats change. First, they are now firmly in Narcoland, where priority for crossing the border goes to drug mules, and mere migrants are a dispensable inconvenience. Second, if they don’t pay their dues, to the polleros, taxi or bus drivers, coyotes or others whose livelihoods depend on migrants but are themselves beholden to the drugs mafia, they are likely to get beaten up or even killed. Third, there is the complex and ever-changing issue of which places provide the safest opportunities to cross: a wrong decision can lead to capture and deportation, or worse. Fourth, by this time, most migrants will have been robbed of any money they once had, perhaps several times, yet crossing the border with a half-chance of success might mean paying a further $1,000 or more to someone who might – if they are lucky in their choice – lead them across safely. And finally, of course, they have to evade the border patrols waiting for them on the other side.
If there is one weakness of Martínez’s account it is that it concentrates on the hazards migrants find en route, rather than on those from which they are attempting to escape. This is understandable, as he is talking to people all the time whose immediate priority is surviving that day and reaching and crossing that distant frontier. Yet it’s impossible to read the book without a growing horror for what those migrants from Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala have left behind. After all, if they are willing to risk their lives to make what must easily be the worst regularly made journey in the Americas, and to do so in many cases not just once but by making four or five or more attempts, then it is glaringly obvious that what they are escaping must be much worse than what they have to endure on their escape.
Read the book, imagine what it must be like to ride on top of The Beast at night time, waiting for lights to appear that in all likelihood will be bandits or kidnappers, and then think how scared those migrants must be of the violence or deprivation in the poor neighbourhoods they come from in San Salvador or San Pedro Sula, to have the guts to make this terrible journey north.
The Beast is the collective name for the freight trains (there are no passenger trains) that make their way from some of Mexico’s southern cities towards Mexico City and then north to the US border. The trains are an essential means of transport for migrants who have little money and may need to travel 3,000 miles or more before they even enter the US. But they are also deadly, and not only because Central Americans cling precariously to the tops of freight cars from which (if they fall asleep, for example) they can easily drop under the wheels. The train routes, and the trains themselves, are plagued by violent gangs and casual bandits who want to rob, rape or kidnap migrants. Unlike any other train journey in the world, there is a high probability that a ride on The Beast will end in death, mutilation or some kind of captivity.
Martínez is an extraordinary writer who pursues his story like the most assiduous investigative journalist, but writes it in such a captivating way that it reads like a novel. It’s difficult to think of a book or even a documentary or feature film (and there are several) that captures the migrant story more effectively. The book is full of drama, but the drama comes from the tales of the migrants themselves, or the people who assist them, as Martínez persuades migrants to tell him where they came from, why they left, and what is happening to them as they head northwards.
On just one 24-hour leg of The Beast’s journey that Martínez covers, there are about 100 armed assaults on the train. One reason is that a large group of migrants is being protected by ‘polleros’ (literally, ‘chicken-keepers’) who they have paid to accompany them. But the polleros’ line of communication with the gang who controls that stretch of line has broken down, and they are under attack. They repel their attackers (who follow the train by road) several times before eventually abandoning the train with their ‘pollos’ (chickens) to melt into the countryside.
In southern Mexico, the main threat to the migrants is bandits, gang rivalry and failure to meet the demands of those who want to exploit them. As they get towards the border, the threats change. First, they are now firmly in Narcoland, where priority for crossing the border goes to drug mules, and mere migrants are a dispensable inconvenience. Second, if they don’t pay their dues, to the polleros, taxi or bus drivers, coyotes or others whose livelihoods depend on migrants but are themselves beholden to the drugs mafia, they are likely to get beaten up or even killed. Third, there is the complex and ever-changing issue of which places provide the safest opportunities to cross: a wrong decision can lead to capture and deportation, or worse. Fourth, by this time, most migrants will have been robbed of any money they once had, perhaps several times, yet crossing the border with a half-chance of success might mean paying a further $1,000 or more to someone who might – if they are lucky in their choice – lead them across safely. And finally, of course, they have to evade the border patrols waiting for them on the other side.
If there is one weakness of Martínez’s account it is that it concentrates on the hazards migrants find en route, rather than on those from which they are attempting to escape. This is understandable, as he is talking to people all the time whose immediate priority is surviving that day and reaching and crossing that distant frontier. Yet it’s impossible to read the book without a growing horror for what those migrants from Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala have left behind. After all, if they are willing to risk their lives to make what must easily be the worst regularly made journey in the Americas, and to do so in many cases not just once but by making four or five or more attempts, then it is glaringly obvious that what they are escaping must be much worse than what they have to endure on their escape.
Read the book, imagine what it must be like to ride on top of The Beast at night time, waiting for lights to appear that in all likelihood will be bandits or kidnappers, and then think how scared those migrants must be of the violence or deprivation in the poor neighbourhoods they come from in San Salvador or San Pedro Sula, to have the guts to make this terrible journey north.
July 10, 2022
Really enjoyed La Bestia after reading American Dirt. The story of people riding the rails north to the USA.
October 25, 2023
“The Beast” by Óscar Martínez, Salvadoran journalist, is a spellbinding and truly eye-opening reportage about the trials and tribulations of Central American migrants and asylum seekers, trying to get through Mexico to the US. I don’t remember the last time I read a book which broke my heart to pieces as many times as this one. I am in awe of Martínez’s courage to talk to ordinary people, gangsters, sex workers, police officers and his courage to travel in the same way as the migrants do. I am in awe of his humanity, so rare these days.
“There are those who migrate to El Norte because of poverty. There are those who migrate to reunite with family members. And there are those, like the Alfaro brothers, who don’t migrate. They flee.”
A lot of people from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador flee from gang violence. There is no life for them back home, so they make an excruciating journey on La Bestia, or El Tren de la Muerte (“The Train of Death”), the freight train that starts its route in Chiapas, Mexico, close to the border with Guatemala, and goes for about 2300km almost to the border with the US. Every year up to 500,000 people travel by it. The risks are immense. Kidnappings by gangs are common. Sexual violence is rife (nearly every girl and woman experiences it). Falling from the roof, being maimed or dying by decapitation happen all the time.
“Life’s value seems reduced, continuously dangled like bait on a fishing line. Killing, dying, raping, or getting raped - the dimensions of these horrors are diminished to points of geography. Here on this rock, they rape. There by that bush, they kill.”
Martínez’s stories are of ordinary people. Precision, lucidity, incredible knowledge and ability to analyse, question and enquire, combined with the author’s ability to gain trust of his fellow travellers and interviewees, his willingness to learn quickly and his extraordinary empathy, make him a superb reporter. I adored the language of this book - lyrical yet crystal clear, informative yet making me feel like I was reading the finest fiction. This is undoubtedly a masterpiece of reportage.
“There are those who migrate to El Norte because of poverty. There are those who migrate to reunite with family members. And there are those, like the Alfaro brothers, who don’t migrate. They flee.”
A lot of people from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador flee from gang violence. There is no life for them back home, so they make an excruciating journey on La Bestia, or El Tren de la Muerte (“The Train of Death”), the freight train that starts its route in Chiapas, Mexico, close to the border with Guatemala, and goes for about 2300km almost to the border with the US. Every year up to 500,000 people travel by it. The risks are immense. Kidnappings by gangs are common. Sexual violence is rife (nearly every girl and woman experiences it). Falling from the roof, being maimed or dying by decapitation happen all the time.
“Life’s value seems reduced, continuously dangled like bait on a fishing line. Killing, dying, raping, or getting raped - the dimensions of these horrors are diminished to points of geography. Here on this rock, they rape. There by that bush, they kill.”
Martínez’s stories are of ordinary people. Precision, lucidity, incredible knowledge and ability to analyse, question and enquire, combined with the author’s ability to gain trust of his fellow travellers and interviewees, his willingness to learn quickly and his extraordinary empathy, make him a superb reporter. I adored the language of this book - lyrical yet crystal clear, informative yet making me feel like I was reading the finest fiction. This is undoubtedly a masterpiece of reportage.
August 3, 2020
3.5 stars
This was such an expansive and informative work. I don't think many people could read this and deny the work and research Martinez poured into it. I truly knew very little about the migrant trails before reading this, and was constantly overwhelmed by their reality while reading. I took a lot away from The Beast, and have new context for any news stories or political discussions about migrants and other issues at the border.
I think that for the most part, Martinez presented a balanced story. I can't speak to how any groups were represented, but I do feel like he didn't shy away from any portion of this story, good, bad or any complicated shade in between.
Because things can change pretty radically between administrations, the portions of this that discussed the US side, Border Patrol, the wall, etc, I would expect are already rather outdated. It doesn't take much away from the information that is presented, because I think it's an interesting foundation to have, but I did find myself asking about how things might be now under new policies, a new president, and as things become increasingly difficult for migrants.
I had two issues with the telling and structure of this as a book. First is that I felt it could've been better organized to tell a more cohesive story. I imagine it was quite a challenge to gather so many years of research and so many pieces of a giant story, but the result is something that jumped around a little too much for my taste. Second is that I found the translation to be a bit awkward at some points. There were word order and sentence structure things that made me feel as if the translators stuck to a more strict word for word translations instead of capturing the spirit of the meaning and correcting for English syntax.
Still, I'm glad I read this and feel as if this is a subject I will continue to learn more about, thanks to the work Martinez shared with us.
September 10, 2021
This is a book about illegal migrants. The author has travelled from southern Mexico from villages to migrant shelters to US border and has recorded heart wrenching stories of many migrants. He also interviews and puts forward stories of the other sides i.e. of coyotes, narcos, US Border officials etc.to present a balanced view of this migrant crisis.
There are lots of migrants crossing from Mexico to USA, some legally and many illegaly. A lot of these illegal migrants come from central American countries. Whilst passing through Mexico, many are raped, most are robbed, some are killed but hardly anyone bats an eyelid because they are 'undocumented'. These atrocities faced by the migrants have been brought to light by the author in this book. The author has travelled from southern Mexico from villages to migrant shelters to US border and has recorded heart wrenching stories of many migrants. He also interviews and puts forward stories of the other sides i.e. of coyotes, narcos, US Border officials etc.to present a balanced view of this migrant crisis which makes the book one of the best in its genre.
Reading this book made me think that how fortunate I am living in a peaceful city and having a permanent job.
I rate this book as five out of five. This is a book which everyone politician from USA and Mexico should read.
There are lots of migrants crossing from Mexico to USA, some legally and many illegaly. A lot of these illegal migrants come from central American countries. Whilst passing through Mexico, many are raped, most are robbed, some are killed but hardly anyone bats an eyelid because they are 'undocumented'. These atrocities faced by the migrants have been brought to light by the author in this book. The author has travelled from southern Mexico from villages to migrant shelters to US border and has recorded heart wrenching stories of many migrants. He also interviews and puts forward stories of the other sides i.e. of coyotes, narcos, US Border officials etc.to present a balanced view of this migrant crisis which makes the book one of the best in its genre.
Reading this book made me think that how fortunate I am living in a peaceful city and having a permanent job.
I rate this book as five out of five. This is a book which everyone politician from USA and Mexico should read.
April 28, 2020
"For me, good journalism has the ability to fulfill two basic roles: illuminating the darkest corners of our society so we can begin to see what goes on in them; and making things more difficult for the corrupt, the abusive, and the merciless, so that things might become a little easier for the needy. . .
I don’t think compassion is that useful. I don’t think it’s a durable engine for change. I see it as a passing sentiment, a feeling too easy to forget. In Mexico, every time we presented the Spanish version of this book I’d say to the audience that my goal was to incite rage. Rage is harder to forget. Rage is less comfortable than compassion, and so more useful. Rage and indignation, these were my objectives in Mexico.
Now I consider what feelings I hope to incite in an American reader. I’m not hoping readers will feel compassion for the men and women who go through this hellish trial in order to wash your plates, to cut your grass, to make your coffee. I hope, rather, that the book generates respect for these men and women, for those who have done something for their families that many of us could hardly find the strength to do."
I don’t think compassion is that useful. I don’t think it’s a durable engine for change. I see it as a passing sentiment, a feeling too easy to forget. In Mexico, every time we presented the Spanish version of this book I’d say to the audience that my goal was to incite rage. Rage is harder to forget. Rage is less comfortable than compassion, and so more useful. Rage and indignation, these were my objectives in Mexico.
Now I consider what feelings I hope to incite in an American reader. I’m not hoping readers will feel compassion for the men and women who go through this hellish trial in order to wash your plates, to cut your grass, to make your coffee. I hope, rather, that the book generates respect for these men and women, for those who have done something for their families that many of us could hardly find the strength to do."
September 3, 2016
It is a wonder that certain books exist. That that story is being told, never mind the literary necessities of it. The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood is one of those, going places no one wants to go, telling stories no one is interested in recounting.
The Beast, similarly is a rare non-fiction book that is astounding for the stories it chooses to tell, for showcasing a version of a hell very difficult to imagine in comfortable existences. This is not utopian imagination nor efforts to scare the reader into fantastical horrors. The book has been translated from Spanish, and one does feel the inadequacy of English to be able to startle, to be able to put one's finger on the pulse with the lingo. However, the very stark tone of the stories, and the matter-of-fact acceptance of life is more vivid than any set of verbal pyrotechnics could fathom. The outlook is not pessimistic, or bleak. There is no sense at all of things EVER getting any better, of possibly having another way to do things. The stories this book is telling is beyond disappointment or trying to garner sympathy. The horror is in the acceptance, the horror is in knowing that this is everyday life.
I have read a few books on the drug trade in South America, and the stories about utter lawlessness of Mexico and the drug route into America has a certain extra-judicial flair about it. That this book chooses to stay away from making drug mules and the business as the center-piece is remarkable. You feel the fear, you can smell the danger in the stories it avoids telling. This is Gonzo storytelling at it's very brave. This is more of a sustained piece of investigative journalism than a book. But what import! There are NO stories like this in newspapers anywhere. There are quiet journalists, and there are dead journalists. No third kind in Mexico.
The original title of the book was 'Migrants who do not matter', and perhaps that is a fitting coverage for a book that goes through the entire migrant trail. However, the chapters dedicated to traveling on the Beast (a cargo train across Central America that is a major mode of travel for migrants) are throbbing with adrenaline and pathos at the same time! There were entire chapters that reminded me of the train scene from Sholay with the bandits chasing. Just that they were more efficient in the book.
I have struggled previously while ruminating about Helter Skelter in trying to decide how to judge/compare a non-fiction book with another. After all, the best of non-fiction is still constrained overall by the story it is telling, the kick in it coming from the story being told. The bravery is in choosing the story, not exactly in telling it in a certain way.
That Mr. Martínez has been able to tell this story and that you are able to read it in English in another corner of the world is achievement enough. But beyond the unrealness of it all, this is an honest voice, Óscar Martínez having captured the afflicted tone and be-wilderness that accompanies the reader through the book.
I would suggest this is essential reading for the modern world.
The Beast, similarly is a rare non-fiction book that is astounding for the stories it chooses to tell, for showcasing a version of a hell very difficult to imagine in comfortable existences. This is not utopian imagination nor efforts to scare the reader into fantastical horrors. The book has been translated from Spanish, and one does feel the inadequacy of English to be able to startle, to be able to put one's finger on the pulse with the lingo. However, the very stark tone of the stories, and the matter-of-fact acceptance of life is more vivid than any set of verbal pyrotechnics could fathom. The outlook is not pessimistic, or bleak. There is no sense at all of things EVER getting any better, of possibly having another way to do things. The stories this book is telling is beyond disappointment or trying to garner sympathy. The horror is in the acceptance, the horror is in knowing that this is everyday life.
I have read a few books on the drug trade in South America, and the stories about utter lawlessness of Mexico and the drug route into America has a certain extra-judicial flair about it. That this book chooses to stay away from making drug mules and the business as the center-piece is remarkable. You feel the fear, you can smell the danger in the stories it avoids telling. This is Gonzo storytelling at it's very brave. This is more of a sustained piece of investigative journalism than a book. But what import! There are NO stories like this in newspapers anywhere. There are quiet journalists, and there are dead journalists. No third kind in Mexico.
The original title of the book was 'Migrants who do not matter', and perhaps that is a fitting coverage for a book that goes through the entire migrant trail. However, the chapters dedicated to traveling on the Beast (a cargo train across Central America that is a major mode of travel for migrants) are throbbing with adrenaline and pathos at the same time! There were entire chapters that reminded me of the train scene from Sholay with the bandits chasing. Just that they were more efficient in the book.
I have struggled previously while ruminating about Helter Skelter in trying to decide how to judge/compare a non-fiction book with another. After all, the best of non-fiction is still constrained overall by the story it is telling, the kick in it coming from the story being told. The bravery is in choosing the story, not exactly in telling it in a certain way.
That Mr. Martínez has been able to tell this story and that you are able to read it in English in another corner of the world is achievement enough. But beyond the unrealness of it all, this is an honest voice, Óscar Martínez having captured the afflicted tone and be-wilderness that accompanies the reader through the book.
I would suggest this is essential reading for the modern world.
January 28, 2022
W książce Óscara Martíneza zło dzieje się na nowo. Migranci zaś stoją w obliczu wyboru: śmierć tu albo śmierć tam. A to żaden wybór.
May 31, 2023
"He's going to talk because it's not like he's accused of a serious crime. We don't have anyone accused of serious crimes here. They're accused of murder, rape, or robbery. Never of drug trafficking."
This book is one long, sad horror show and I found myself either grinding my teeth or teary eyed, personally I think the author must be more than a little crazy to go on this journey with the migrants through places that sound like what hell must be like. Good thing he did or privileged people like me wouldn't hear about it. This book is not for the faint of heart but definitely worth the effort, a little repetitive at times but then again that's the nature of these stories, also a map would have been helpful, I had a hard time figuring out where the author was at times.
This book is one long, sad horror show and I found myself either grinding my teeth or teary eyed, personally I think the author must be more than a little crazy to go on this journey with the migrants through places that sound like what hell must be like. Good thing he did or privileged people like me wouldn't hear about it. This book is not for the faint of heart but definitely worth the effort, a little repetitive at times but then again that's the nature of these stories, also a map would have been helpful, I had a hard time figuring out where the author was at times.
August 26, 2024
Che lavoro fondamentale! Un libro reportage incredibile di Martinez nel raccontare il terribile “viaggio” che molte persone del Centro America devono compiere per cercare una vita migliore.
Assolutamente un libro da leggere e studiare per conoscere la situazione che c’era nel primo decennio del 2000 e che, temo, sia solo peggiorata negli ultimi 14 anni.
Assolutamente un libro da leggere e studiare per conoscere la situazione che c’era nel primo decennio del 2000 e che, temo, sia solo peggiorata negli ultimi 14 anni.
July 9, 2024
Qué periodista más extraordinario es Óscar Martínez. Con su dedicación, arrojo y humanidad podemos acceder a estas crónicas que son de lo más desolador y oscuro que podemos leer sobre la migración en centroamérica, méxico y eeuu. De una brutalidad desgarradora.
May 17, 2024
There are some absolutely heartbreaking stories in this and I think it’s a good depiction of just how difficult the trail is. But the actual writing and book flows like molasses.
June 5, 2020
The Rio Grande makes up roughly 900 of the nearly 2000 mile international border between the United States and Mexico. It is its own natural abbreviation, cutting short the lives of many migrants and fitting as Martinez brought his journalistic examination to a close. The river meanders and runs roughshod through the desert, at times coursing at a breakneck pace and other times teeming with eddies and just shallow enough to traverse. The risk is high. While Border Patrol is ubiquitous in a migrant's paranoia, it's impossible to police the entire frontier. Yet there are only so many places that offer a slim chance of survival beyond just crossing, for the grind beyond is grueling, the terrain lonely and unforgiving. This is the true story of El Norte and her siren call.
The allure of the United States isn't a mystery. Migration isn't a mystery either. Most people seek a new beginning, free of government oppression, religious persecution, famine, poverty, or perhaps in the case of Mexico, corruption and powerful drug cartels. Whatever the case, the land of the free has always been a gilded notion of success. Many Hispanics are met with prejudice, underpaid jobs, and the specter of deportation, but that is not what Martinez commands an audience for. He ingratiates himself to every chapter of escape. The web of illegal migration is front and center in an expose. The result is nearly synonymous as the journey of a migrant itself. Sporadic. Piecemeal. Unyielding and harrowing. Disjointed. Difficult to follow at times. Individuals are occasionally fluttering moths in the garden, here one moment, up and vanished the next. Others are similar to household mementos. He sees them and they are off out of sight only to reappear months later in another setting. I came to believe in the strange non-linear world of the migrant, the acute dangers that elapsed riding the top of the Beast (the rail lines) and holding on for dear life unable to sleep lest they be thrown free of the train. They disembarked before pulling into a checkpoint to avoid the violence. The towns overrun by the Zetas (the book is slightly dated, although drug cartels are still a major problem in Mexico) make Martinez's job as a journalist slightly more difficult. Approaching people clandestinely was the norm and many times a third party was used to get information. This was far from a glorification of the migration process, nor was it written to elicit sympathy for the Central-Americans knocking on the door of opportunity. It certainly didn't lean towards a condemnation of American border policy. My intuition tells me that Martinez set out to document the migrant experience only to discover (affirm?) the complexity of moving parts behind the diaspora. Seven years post-publication of this book, I have less reservations about those attempting entry than those being stalked by government agencies such as ICE, particularly otherwise law-abiding individuals who are here to better themselves and/or their families. Martinez mentions, but does not showcase, individuals who have been deported after lengthy stays in the United States, one in particular stated 20+ years. One would think it would be more economically feasible to, instead of spending thousands of dollars on manpower to deport or try in Immigration Court, vet and enfranchise those with no criminal record to track them and make them liable for taxation purposes. Martinez doesn't have time for any of this. His only concern is exposing the welfare of the migrant at the hands of the polleros, the narcos, the cartels and the corrupt police. It's a veritable human obstacle course, the ultimate game of Survivor with bodies discarded in the desert and the river. Desire is no match for attrition. One unarmed pollo no match for the intricate web of human greed spun by the mafia, coyotes, drug runners et al. The Beast, while a nickname for the train that runs North through Mexico, is but a metaphor for the precarious ride the hopeful emigrant maps out as they wind their way North. We are led to believe they are coming to do harm. The truth is, the harm has enveloped them along the way.
The allure of the United States isn't a mystery. Migration isn't a mystery either. Most people seek a new beginning, free of government oppression, religious persecution, famine, poverty, or perhaps in the case of Mexico, corruption and powerful drug cartels. Whatever the case, the land of the free has always been a gilded notion of success. Many Hispanics are met with prejudice, underpaid jobs, and the specter of deportation, but that is not what Martinez commands an audience for. He ingratiates himself to every chapter of escape. The web of illegal migration is front and center in an expose. The result is nearly synonymous as the journey of a migrant itself. Sporadic. Piecemeal. Unyielding and harrowing. Disjointed. Difficult to follow at times. Individuals are occasionally fluttering moths in the garden, here one moment, up and vanished the next. Others are similar to household mementos. He sees them and they are off out of sight only to reappear months later in another setting. I came to believe in the strange non-linear world of the migrant, the acute dangers that elapsed riding the top of the Beast (the rail lines) and holding on for dear life unable to sleep lest they be thrown free of the train. They disembarked before pulling into a checkpoint to avoid the violence. The towns overrun by the Zetas (the book is slightly dated, although drug cartels are still a major problem in Mexico) make Martinez's job as a journalist slightly more difficult. Approaching people clandestinely was the norm and many times a third party was used to get information. This was far from a glorification of the migration process, nor was it written to elicit sympathy for the Central-Americans knocking on the door of opportunity. It certainly didn't lean towards a condemnation of American border policy. My intuition tells me that Martinez set out to document the migrant experience only to discover (affirm?) the complexity of moving parts behind the diaspora. Seven years post-publication of this book, I have less reservations about those attempting entry than those being stalked by government agencies such as ICE, particularly otherwise law-abiding individuals who are here to better themselves and/or their families. Martinez mentions, but does not showcase, individuals who have been deported after lengthy stays in the United States, one in particular stated 20+ years. One would think it would be more economically feasible to, instead of spending thousands of dollars on manpower to deport or try in Immigration Court, vet and enfranchise those with no criminal record to track them and make them liable for taxation purposes. Martinez doesn't have time for any of this. His only concern is exposing the welfare of the migrant at the hands of the polleros, the narcos, the cartels and the corrupt police. It's a veritable human obstacle course, the ultimate game of Survivor with bodies discarded in the desert and the river. Desire is no match for attrition. One unarmed pollo no match for the intricate web of human greed spun by the mafia, coyotes, drug runners et al. The Beast, while a nickname for the train that runs North through Mexico, is but a metaphor for the precarious ride the hopeful emigrant maps out as they wind their way North. We are led to believe they are coming to do harm. The truth is, the harm has enveloped them along the way.
January 13, 2025
Empatický vhľad do situácie na hranici a súvisiacich mechanizmoch migrácie, narcos a politiky.
Kniha sa číta pomerne ťažko - na jednej strane popisované udalosti sú často naozaj brutálne, zároveň je však kniha trochu zmätočne štrukturovaná. Doporučujem čítať s mapou Mexika v ruke.
Kniha sa číta pomerne ťažko - na jednej strane popisované udalosti sú často naozaj brutálne, zároveň je však kniha trochu zmätočne štrukturovaná. Doporučujem čítať s mapou Mexika v ruke.
September 29, 2013
I received an ARC of this book, and after just 16 pages, I have to say I'm really excited for all that this book can present. The voice is honest and easy to read, and the topic very relevant. I'm looking forward to finishing it and seeing how my teen readers would react to this.
My opinion on this book remained at the top throughout my reading of it. It was an amazing journey, one which I was ignorant of, and now one that I can erase from my mind. The author travels the migrant trail and trains with his photographer, and the situations they put themselves in blow my mind. I'm so grateful there are people in the world willing to risk their lives for the betterment of humanity, and that's what this book can do. It raises awareness about the brutalities migrants face in their homelands and through the Mexico. As an American in Chicago, I feel more removed from the border situation than my friends in Texas, but reading this book has changed my perspective. It is honest, exciting, violent, heart-wrenching, and infuriating all at once. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they have an opinion on the Latino immigration situation or anyone who is looking to educate themselves more. I would absolutely recommend portions of this book as reading excerpts for English, Sociology, Law, and Social Studies classes at my high school (due to the language and some of the mature content, teachers would have to pre-read to find passages that suit their curricular needs best.) I would also advocate for students interested in doing something about immigration to read this book. I feel it would motivate them further.
My opinion on this book remained at the top throughout my reading of it. It was an amazing journey, one which I was ignorant of, and now one that I can erase from my mind. The author travels the migrant trail and trains with his photographer, and the situations they put themselves in blow my mind. I'm so grateful there are people in the world willing to risk their lives for the betterment of humanity, and that's what this book can do. It raises awareness about the brutalities migrants face in their homelands and through the Mexico. As an American in Chicago, I feel more removed from the border situation than my friends in Texas, but reading this book has changed my perspective. It is honest, exciting, violent, heart-wrenching, and infuriating all at once. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they have an opinion on the Latino immigration situation or anyone who is looking to educate themselves more. I would absolutely recommend portions of this book as reading excerpts for English, Sociology, Law, and Social Studies classes at my high school (due to the language and some of the mature content, teachers would have to pre-read to find passages that suit their curricular needs best.) I would also advocate for students interested in doing something about immigration to read this book. I feel it would motivate them further.
February 10, 2015
The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail is about Óscar Martínez, a journalist from El Salvador, who goes along the Migrant Trail (the usual route migrants from Central America take up through Mexico and to the USA) to tell their stories.
This book really shocked me when I read it. I honestly didn't know much about the lives of migrants before reading it with much of my knowledge coming from distanced news reports about things in Mexico that didn't affect me. But The Beast changed that. It brought these people's lives to light so I could actually empathize with them. I didn't know much about the strife in Central America either. Now, the internal issues the countries in that area have are something I actually understand.
Martínez doesn't take sides in his book; he doesn't say the USA is right for severely restricting the access undocumented migrants have to gaining a better, safer life, and he doesn't say the migrants are right to try to get across illegally. However, it's clear from the way he humanizes the migrants, how he empathizes with them, that the migrants are not necessarily in the wrong either. Politics, government and economics are huge driving factors in keeping undocumented migrants out of the USA even though the USA went into Central America first and fucked their shit up. But as the Border Patrol agent in the book says, it's just a big game of cat and mouse. No one really wins.
This book really shocked me when I read it. I honestly didn't know much about the lives of migrants before reading it with much of my knowledge coming from distanced news reports about things in Mexico that didn't affect me. But The Beast changed that. It brought these people's lives to light so I could actually empathize with them. I didn't know much about the strife in Central America either. Now, the internal issues the countries in that area have are something I actually understand.
Martínez doesn't take sides in his book; he doesn't say the USA is right for severely restricting the access undocumented migrants have to gaining a better, safer life, and he doesn't say the migrants are right to try to get across illegally. However, it's clear from the way he humanizes the migrants, how he empathizes with them, that the migrants are not necessarily in the wrong either. Politics, government and economics are huge driving factors in keeping undocumented migrants out of the USA even though the USA went into Central America first and fucked their shit up. But as the Border Patrol agent in the book says, it's just a big game of cat and mouse. No one really wins.
May 26, 2018
¿Como comenzar un relato periodístico donde se marca crudeza que viven los centroamericanos al cruzar la frontera mexicana rumbo al sueño americano?
Bien dicho de otro modo, los migrantes somos todos, pero no a todos nos interesa mantener el sueño americano. No obstante nunca debemos mantenernos indiferentes a la enorme y triste travesía que hacen nuestros hermanos centro de nuestro continente.
Desde las primeras páginas, el autor guatemalteco nos muestra la crudeza de un viaje que te cambia, que nos asombra a todos y nos entristece de formas descomunales. Esta investigación, por medio de entrevistas, nos aborda a La Bestia, pasando por la corrupción de la frontera en Chispas, el desgaste emocional, las violaciones, las traiciones de los “Coyotes”, los asaltos del tren, la mafia del narco y sus sistema de “mulas”. Y aunque me duela aceptarlo, el infierno se encuentra en México, mi país que poco a poco se ha corrompido, llegando a límites inaceptables.
“Los migrantes que no importan” es un claro reflejo de lo difícil que es realizar un viaje tan doloroso y desamparado.
Un buen libro para todos aquellos que... para todos. Nadie debería de pasar por aquí sin leerlo.
Bien dicho de otro modo, los migrantes somos todos, pero no a todos nos interesa mantener el sueño americano. No obstante nunca debemos mantenernos indiferentes a la enorme y triste travesía que hacen nuestros hermanos centro de nuestro continente.
Desde las primeras páginas, el autor guatemalteco nos muestra la crudeza de un viaje que te cambia, que nos asombra a todos y nos entristece de formas descomunales. Esta investigación, por medio de entrevistas, nos aborda a La Bestia, pasando por la corrupción de la frontera en Chispas, el desgaste emocional, las violaciones, las traiciones de los “Coyotes”, los asaltos del tren, la mafia del narco y sus sistema de “mulas”. Y aunque me duela aceptarlo, el infierno se encuentra en México, mi país que poco a poco se ha corrompido, llegando a límites inaceptables.
“Los migrantes que no importan” es un claro reflejo de lo difícil que es realizar un viaje tan doloroso y desamparado.
Un buen libro para todos aquellos que... para todos. Nadie debería de pasar por aquí sin leerlo.
February 23, 2020
Sieved through a journalistic lens, Salvadoran writer Óscar Martínez chronicles the journey of Central American migrants fleeing north on "La Bestia," the Beast. The Beast is a train known amongst those that have uprooted themselves from their homes in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Beginning at a slow lurch, the Beast is fairly accessible to those looking for a ride. Martínez is able to choose enriched ethnographic moments that leave the reader aghast and shaken by the harsh realities and quotidian experiences that surround the most vulnerable fleeing north. Great read. Difficult read. Tread with caution.
May 24, 2021
I borrowed this after reading about the controversy re: American Dirt, and saw it as a recommended read for more authentic narratives of Central American migrant crossing written by someone with shared background with the migrants. If ever I think any personal experience is hard, or wonder how deep the roots of trauma run, I will remember how much these people risk and lose and bear. Just for the smallest chance of having the smallest part of what so many of us, myself included, have been given freely. A must-read for everyone living in America.
January 20, 2014
Si uno tuviera que bajar al infierno, sería algo parecido a lo que Óscar Martínez cuenta en este libro. Es un libro muy valioso sólo por el mensaje que transmite, pero además hay momentos de mucha belleza a pesar de la crueldad y la violencia que lo atraviesan. A diferencia de otros libros de crónica, aquí el ego del autor no se entromete, porque no es un libro para llamar la atención sobre sí o aumentar su prestigio. Es un libro muy generoso en ese aspecto.
May 26, 2015
Excelente relato del sufrimiento y desesperación de los Centroamericanos. Muy duro y honesto, quisiera que todo el mundo puediera leer este libro para dar una lección de humildad e infundir respeto hacia las personas que emigran, su increible valentía e inquebrantable voluntad.
January 9, 2015
Gran trabajo periodístico que da cuenta de la dura realidad que enfrentan los migrantes en su travesía por la búsqueda de un futuro. El estilo narrativo es entretenido y lleva al lector a sentirse parte de este duro viaje.
March 27, 2021
3,5
Der Autor hat sich in Lebensgefahr gebracht und über zwei Jahre lang Geschichten von Migranten auf der Fluchtroute von Zentralamerika in die USA gesammelt. Von Südmexiko bis zum Rio Grande beleuchtet er alle Aspekte der Flucht.
Er reist mit den flüchtenden auf Zugdächern Richtung Norden (auf dem titelgebende Zug, genannt "La bestia"), interviewt Opfer von Menschenhandel in Bordellen, redet mit Schleusern und begleitet auf der US-amerikanischen Seite die Borderpatrol auf Patrouille.
Der spanische Titel ist "Die Migranten, die keine Rolle spielen". Denn sie reisen illegal durch Mexiko und werden nicht vermisst, wenn sie verschwinden.
Hunderttausende Menschen sind jedes Jahr auf dieser Fluchtroute unterwegs und so hat sich ein gnadenloses Geschäftsmodell entwickelt. Von Menschenhandel, Schleusung, Kidnappings bis hin zu Drogenschleusung. Weite Teile der Route werden von Drogenkartellen kontrolliert. Ob Polizei, Kartell oder Einheimischen. Niemanden kann man auf der Route trauen. Die Gefahr lauert überall.
Vergewaltigungen, Folter und Morde stehen auf der Tagesordnung. Hat man das alles überlebt, bedeutet es nicht zwangsläufig das Happy End. Viele Menschen ertrinken im Rio Grande, sterben in der Wüste des Grenzübergangs oder werden nach ihrer langen Odyssee direkt wieder deportiert.
Das Buch ist schon zehn Jahre alt aber es hat sich leider nichts verändert. Im Gegenteil. Allein Obama hat in seiner Amtszeit 2,5 Millionen Menschen abgeschoben. Aktuell hat sich die Krise an der Grenze wieder verschärft. Und das wird sich wohl auch auf absehbare Zeit nicht ändern.
Eine mutige Reportage über eine tragische Situation.
Der Autor hat sich in Lebensgefahr gebracht und über zwei Jahre lang Geschichten von Migranten auf der Fluchtroute von Zentralamerika in die USA gesammelt. Von Südmexiko bis zum Rio Grande beleuchtet er alle Aspekte der Flucht.
Er reist mit den flüchtenden auf Zugdächern Richtung Norden (auf dem titelgebende Zug, genannt "La bestia"), interviewt Opfer von Menschenhandel in Bordellen, redet mit Schleusern und begleitet auf der US-amerikanischen Seite die Borderpatrol auf Patrouille.
Der spanische Titel ist "Die Migranten, die keine Rolle spielen". Denn sie reisen illegal durch Mexiko und werden nicht vermisst, wenn sie verschwinden.
Hunderttausende Menschen sind jedes Jahr auf dieser Fluchtroute unterwegs und so hat sich ein gnadenloses Geschäftsmodell entwickelt. Von Menschenhandel, Schleusung, Kidnappings bis hin zu Drogenschleusung. Weite Teile der Route werden von Drogenkartellen kontrolliert. Ob Polizei, Kartell oder Einheimischen. Niemanden kann man auf der Route trauen. Die Gefahr lauert überall.
Vergewaltigungen, Folter und Morde stehen auf der Tagesordnung. Hat man das alles überlebt, bedeutet es nicht zwangsläufig das Happy End. Viele Menschen ertrinken im Rio Grande, sterben in der Wüste des Grenzübergangs oder werden nach ihrer langen Odyssee direkt wieder deportiert.
Das Buch ist schon zehn Jahre alt aber es hat sich leider nichts verändert. Im Gegenteil. Allein Obama hat in seiner Amtszeit 2,5 Millionen Menschen abgeschoben. Aktuell hat sich die Krise an der Grenze wieder verschärft. Und das wird sich wohl auch auf absehbare Zeit nicht ändern.
Eine mutige Reportage über eine tragische Situation.
November 24, 2025
“I don’t think compassion is that useful. I don’t think it’s a durable engine for change. I see it as a passing sentiment, a feeling too easy to forget. In Mexico, every time we presented the Spanish version of this book I’d say to the audience that my goal was to incite rage. Rage is harder to forget. Rage is less comfortable than compassion, and so more useful. Rage and indignation, these were my objectives in Mexico. Now I consider what feelings I hope to incite in an American reader. I’m not hoping readers will feel compassion for the men and women who go through this hellish trial in order to wash your plates, to cut your grass, to make your coffee. I hope, rather, that the book generates respect for these men and women, for those who have done something for their families that many of us could hardly find the strength to do. Respect for this drive that migrants have, a drive more powerful than the train engine and a drive more vital than any limb… of our very body.”
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