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.
Border czar Tom Homan says children of illegal immigrants could be put in halfway homes
Utah brothers survive avalanche after one pulls other out of snow burial
Career criminal, 31, arrested for 35th time — see his list of offenses
New bill would mandate gyms to carry equipment for Americans with disabilities
Internet Explodes Over Breathtaking National Anthem on NFL’s Christmas Day Ravens-Texans Game
Syrian rebel government hit by first challenge to power as 14 soldiers are killed by pro-Assad forces
They Surveyed Female Dems and Republicans About Affairs and Cheating – The Difference Is Worse Than You’d Expect
State Department’s ‘Global Engagement Center’ accused of censoring Americans shuts its doors
‘Squad’ Dems demand end to US investigation into anti-Israel weapons embargo
Illegal Accused of Killing Boy, 12, Gets Out of Jail Free for Christmas as Victim’s Family Mourns
Flashback: Rush Limbaugh’s Final Christmas Message – He Teared Up, And So Will You
Christmas family dispute leads to 3 shot, 1 stabbed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport: police
Trump has Christmas message to ‘Radical Left Lunatics,’ tells inmates Biden granted clemency to ‘GO TO HELL!’
MAGA Merry Christmas
Russia’s role in deadly plane crash questioned and more top headlines
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.
Border czar Tom Homan says children of illegal immigrants could be put in halfway homes
Utah brothers survive avalanche after one pulls other out of snow burial
Career criminal, 31, arrested for 35th time — see his list of offenses
New bill would mandate gyms to carry equipment for Americans with disabilities
Internet Explodes Over Breathtaking National Anthem on NFL’s Christmas Day Ravens-Texans Game
Syrian rebel government hit by first challenge to power as 14 soldiers are killed by pro-Assad forces
They Surveyed Female Dems and Republicans About Affairs and Cheating – The Difference Is Worse Than You’d Expect
State Department’s ‘Global Engagement Center’ accused of censoring Americans shuts its doors
‘Squad’ Dems demand end to US investigation into anti-Israel weapons embargo
Illegal Accused of Killing Boy, 12, Gets Out of Jail Free for Christmas as Victim’s Family Mourns
Flashback: Rush Limbaugh’s Final Christmas Message – He Teared Up, And So Will You
Christmas family dispute leads to 3 shot, 1 stabbed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport: police
Trump has Christmas message to ‘Radical Left Lunatics,’ tells inmates Biden granted clemency to ‘GO TO HELL!’
MAGA Merry Christmas
Russia’s role in deadly plane crash questioned and more top headlines
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.
