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.
Paul Pelosi Involved in Hit-and-Run, Was Found on Nearby Road with Heavily Damaged Car, Muddled Memory
Trump announces Sikorsky to pay for granite helipad on White House South Lawn
Mexican Fans Scream Slurs and Pelt Opposing Fans with Objects as They’re Eliminated from the World Cup
ICE renews hunt for El Chapo’s last two fugitive sons with massive reward
FLASHBACK: As America turns 250, here’s how the nation celebrated its biggest birthdays
Hungary’s Magyar continues ‘Operation Purgatory’ purges with proposed amendment to oust president
The Democratic Party’s progressive insurgents are turning on Obama
‘Black Woman Surrounded by White Nationalists’ Pic Blows Up in Left’s Face as 2nd Train Photo Goes Viral
Video: July 4 Nightmare – Multiple Black Punks Beat Stew Out of White Female Cop – Imagine if the Races Were Reversed
Trump says he ‘immediately overturned’ decision to cancel July 4 festivities in DC
Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History promotes ‘extreme political activism,’ WH report alleges
New York Harbor whale strike sinks fire rescue boat after July 4 celebrations
Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson fights back against state’s evidence and more top headlines
Unrelenting war in Ukraine sees skyrocketing death toll in fifth year
Federal crime task force sent to Memphis tops 10,000 arrests
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.
Paul Pelosi Involved in Hit-and-Run, Was Found on Nearby Road with Heavily Damaged Car, Muddled Memory
Trump announces Sikorsky to pay for granite helipad on White House South Lawn
Mexican Fans Scream Slurs and Pelt Opposing Fans with Objects as They’re Eliminated from the World Cup
ICE renews hunt for El Chapo’s last two fugitive sons with massive reward
FLASHBACK: As America turns 250, here’s how the nation celebrated its biggest birthdays
Hungary’s Magyar continues ‘Operation Purgatory’ purges with proposed amendment to oust president
The Democratic Party’s progressive insurgents are turning on Obama
‘Black Woman Surrounded by White Nationalists’ Pic Blows Up in Left’s Face as 2nd Train Photo Goes Viral
Video: July 4 Nightmare – Multiple Black Punks Beat Stew Out of White Female Cop – Imagine if the Races Were Reversed
Trump says he ‘immediately overturned’ decision to cancel July 4 festivities in DC
Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History promotes ‘extreme political activism,’ WH report alleges
New York Harbor whale strike sinks fire rescue boat after July 4 celebrations
Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson fights back against state’s evidence and more top headlines
Unrelenting war in Ukraine sees skyrocketing death toll in fifth year
Federal crime task force sent to Memphis tops 10,000 arrests
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.
