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.
Dead voter allegation fuels concerns about voting safeguards as blue state official turns herself in
WATCH: America’s first ‘formerly undocumented’ congressman delivers ultimatum at besieged ICE facility
‘Your Time Has Passed’: Democrats Furious After Jill and Hunter Biden Burst Back Into Spotlight
White House Launches Aliens.Gov After Series of Cryptic Messages: ‘They Walk Among Us’
Amtrak fire near Penn Station triggers major NYC commuter disruptions, NJ Transit and LIRR cancellations
‘Ghosts’ on Florida highways: Roadside sting snares 249 illegal immigrants, officers warn many more hiding
Blistering report exposes how national K-12 group’s DEI agenda is trickling down to local schools
Democrats ‘selling their soul’ to embrace Platner are in for rude awakening with Maine voters: GOP lawmaker
Can congressional Democrats co-opt MAHA from the MAGA-verse?
Democrats lash out at Bidens as former first lady relitigates the past: ‘They suck’
With tough midterm elections looming, Trump 2028 GOP revenge list grows
12-year-old boy dies after raft capsizes during school trip in Pennsylvania
BREAKING VIDEO: Blue Origin Rocket Suffers Massive Explosion After Catastrophic Failure at Cape Canaveral
RNC and NRCC file lawsuit defending Missouri’s new congressional map against Democratic challenges
Trump administration cracks down on Brazil’s biggest drug gangs with ‘global terror’ designation
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.
Dead voter allegation fuels concerns about voting safeguards as blue state official turns herself in
WATCH: America’s first ‘formerly undocumented’ congressman delivers ultimatum at besieged ICE facility
‘Your Time Has Passed’: Democrats Furious After Jill and Hunter Biden Burst Back Into Spotlight
White House Launches Aliens.Gov After Series of Cryptic Messages: ‘They Walk Among Us’
Amtrak fire near Penn Station triggers major NYC commuter disruptions, NJ Transit and LIRR cancellations
‘Ghosts’ on Florida highways: Roadside sting snares 249 illegal immigrants, officers warn many more hiding
Blistering report exposes how national K-12 group’s DEI agenda is trickling down to local schools
Democrats ‘selling their soul’ to embrace Platner are in for rude awakening with Maine voters: GOP lawmaker
Can congressional Democrats co-opt MAHA from the MAGA-verse?
Democrats lash out at Bidens as former first lady relitigates the past: ‘They suck’
With tough midterm elections looming, Trump 2028 GOP revenge list grows
12-year-old boy dies after raft capsizes during school trip in Pennsylvania
BREAKING VIDEO: Blue Origin Rocket Suffers Massive Explosion After Catastrophic Failure at Cape Canaveral
RNC and NRCC file lawsuit defending Missouri’s new congressional map against Democratic challenges
Trump administration cracks down on Brazil’s biggest drug gangs with ‘global terror’ designation
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.
