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.
DOGE initial findings on Defense Department DEI spending could save $80M, agency says
Head of FBI New York office reveals he was forced to retire
McMahon on Day 1 launches ‘final mission’ to send education back to the states
Bill Nye claims Elon Musk wants to replace NOAA weather satellites with Starlink
Man who wore diamond watch to Lakers game sues arena, claims he was assaulted and robbed in restroom
Trump Erupts After Zelenskyy Makes ‘The Worst Statement That Could Have Been Made’ Days After Oval Office Disaster
Van Hollen regrets voting for Secretary Rubio
Senate bid to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports gets stuck on filibuster
Golden Age? Woman’s Tumors Disappear in Weeks – Trump Stargate Project Set to Mainstream Her ‘Cancer Vax’ Miracle
Woman stung by venomous critter while getting bag at Boston’s Logan Airport
WWE legend to lead Education Department after clinching final match in the Senate
Melania Trump advocates anti-revenge porn bill and jabs at absent Democrats
Musk bets big in Wisconsin Supreme Court race as Tesla lawsuit hangs in balance
Supreme Court sides with Utah high court in overturning man’s death sentence
Several Democrats to boycott Trump’s ‘pep rally’ speech to Congress
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.
DOGE initial findings on Defense Department DEI spending could save $80M, agency says
Head of FBI New York office reveals he was forced to retire
McMahon on Day 1 launches ‘final mission’ to send education back to the states
Bill Nye claims Elon Musk wants to replace NOAA weather satellites with Starlink
Man who wore diamond watch to Lakers game sues arena, claims he was assaulted and robbed in restroom
Trump Erupts After Zelenskyy Makes ‘The Worst Statement That Could Have Been Made’ Days After Oval Office Disaster
Van Hollen regrets voting for Secretary Rubio
Senate bid to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports gets stuck on filibuster
Golden Age? Woman’s Tumors Disappear in Weeks – Trump Stargate Project Set to Mainstream Her ‘Cancer Vax’ Miracle
Woman stung by venomous critter while getting bag at Boston’s Logan Airport
WWE legend to lead Education Department after clinching final match in the Senate
Melania Trump advocates anti-revenge porn bill and jabs at absent Democrats
Musk bets big in Wisconsin Supreme Court race as Tesla lawsuit hangs in balance
Supreme Court sides with Utah high court in overturning man’s death sentence
Several Democrats to boycott Trump’s ‘pep rally’ speech to Congress
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.
