Ocumicho: a town split up by migration

In Ocumicho, Michoacán, almost half of the population has migrated to the United States.

Most of them work as day laborers, while others can take 10 or 20 years before returning, and that's only if they are deported by U.S. authorities.

According to a study published by Mexico's Chamber of Deputies, Michoacán ranks second for the number of its inhabitants living abroad, and ranks first in remittances, with 26.9 billion pesos (US$1.47 billion), followed by Guanajuato, with 24.3 billion pesos (US$1.33 billion) and Jalisco, with 21.29 billion pesos (US$1.17 billion).

Most of its inhabitants are purépecha indians and 3,000 of them live in the United States.

“They started migrating in the 70s to three states mainly: California, Florida and Pennsylvania, says Simón Vicente, mayor of Charapan.

“Sometimes the whole family migrates, but normally the wife stays behind with the children. Some of the men who migrate send money back to Mexico, but others simply forget about the life they had over here,” he added.

He also said is that some of the migrants who return from the U.S. have alcoholism or drug addiction problems, which complicates their reintegration into society.

“People want money and think they will get it by goint to the United States, but in fact most of the time they remain the same and there are many split-up families,” he added.

The town, in which marrying at age 13 is common, is known for the devil figurines they sell as handicraft.

(Carlos Arrieta contibuted to this report)