Mexican protesters have shut a US southern border crossing amid fears that untested American travellers will spread coronavirus.
Residents in Sonora, south of the US state of Arizona, have promised to block traffic into Mexico for a second day after closing a checkpoint for hours on Wednesday.
They wore face masks and held signs telling Americans to “stay at home”.
Mexico has fewer than 500 confirmed Covid-19 cases and the US over 65,000.
The border is supposed to be closed to all except “essential” business, but protesters said there has been little enforcement and no testing by authorities.
The blockade was led by members of the group Sonorans for Health and Life, who called for medical testing to be done on anyone who crosses from the US into Mexico.
WATCH: Cory Booker unleashes fiery call for ‘foot soldiers’ at Michigan Dem conference
Leaked memos reveal how Supreme Court steamrolled Obama climate plan in 2016 showdown
Trump Disputes His Energy Secretary’s Assessment of Gas Prices: ‘He’s Wrong on That’
Nancy Mace Calls for ‘Immediate’ Expulsion of Fellow House Republican: ‘The Worst Kind of Pond Scum’
Repeat offender released early from jail now charged with capital murder of pregnant woman
Trump and Johnson to hold Virginia tele-rally against Spanberger’s gerrymander
Who is Joseph diGenova Reagan-era prosecutor tapped to lead ‘grand conspiracy’ investigation
Mob of teens chases college student into campus dorm, unleashes violent attack as police hunt suspects
Eight children dead in Louisiana domestic violence killing spree: What to know
Texas AG Paxton sues Dem fundraising platform ActBlue, alleging ‘fraudulent and foreign donations’
Bernie-backed Dem’s pro-gun Clint Eastwood post, Kaepernick critique spurs apology in battleground race
Watch Patel on Bartiromo: ‘I Can Announce’ Arrests Are Coming in Stolen 2020 Election Case – ‘Stay Tuned This Week’
Trump Reveals JD Vance and His Negotiating Team ‘Heading Over’ for Second Round of Iran Talks
WATCH: Houston faces $110M hit as Texas gov lays down law on ‘sanctuary’ policies
Left-wing activists heckle pro-Israel Democrat Haley Stevens at Michigan convention
Jose Luis Hernandez, a group member, told the Arizona Republic: “There are no health screenings by the federal government to deal with this pandemic. That’s why we’re here in Nogales. We’ve taken this action to call on the Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to act now.”
The Mexican president has been criticised for his response to the pandemic, as has US President Donald Trump.
Mr Hernandez said the Wednesday demonstrations were a “first warning” to Mr Lopez Obrador, popularly known by his initials, Amlo.
The group has called for enforcement of the crossing ban on all US or Mexican citizens for tourism or medical reasons, including those who cross the border every day to attend school or work in the US.
Authorities must also conduct medical testing on Mexicans deported from the US, they said.
WATCH: Cory Booker unleashes fiery call for ‘foot soldiers’ at Michigan Dem conference
Leaked memos reveal how Supreme Court steamrolled Obama climate plan in 2016 showdown
Trump Disputes His Energy Secretary’s Assessment of Gas Prices: ‘He’s Wrong on That’
Nancy Mace Calls for ‘Immediate’ Expulsion of Fellow House Republican: ‘The Worst Kind of Pond Scum’
Repeat offender released early from jail now charged with capital murder of pregnant woman
Trump and Johnson to hold Virginia tele-rally against Spanberger’s gerrymander
Who is Joseph diGenova Reagan-era prosecutor tapped to lead ‘grand conspiracy’ investigation
Mob of teens chases college student into campus dorm, unleashes violent attack as police hunt suspects
Eight children dead in Louisiana domestic violence killing spree: What to know
Texas AG Paxton sues Dem fundraising platform ActBlue, alleging ‘fraudulent and foreign donations’
Bernie-backed Dem’s pro-gun Clint Eastwood post, Kaepernick critique spurs apology in battleground race
Watch Patel on Bartiromo: ‘I Can Announce’ Arrests Are Coming in Stolen 2020 Election Case – ‘Stay Tuned This Week’
Trump Reveals JD Vance and His Negotiating Team ‘Heading Over’ for Second Round of Iran Talks
WATCH: Houston faces $110M hit as Texas gov lays down law on ‘sanctuary’ policies
Left-wing activists heckle pro-Israel Democrat Haley Stevens at Michigan convention
The group have vowed to block the DeConcini checkpoint again after shutting it down on Wednesday afternoon.
President Trump has made cutting the number of people crossing the border from Mexico into the US a centrepiece of his administration. He blames border-crossers from the south for bringing economic and social problems into the US.
He announced last week that the frontier was to close due to coronavirus.
Story cited here.
