“As an unavoidable consequence of this provision, merchants in Mexico and the United States are losing competitiveness and considerable income,” he added.
The measure, announced on April 6 by Abbott, was the first in a series of actions to secure the southern border of the United States, following the decision of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) to end immigration removals under Title 42.
Abbott ordered the authorities to detain and inspect all trucks and buses that cross from Mexico to the United States, arguing immigration control and border security measures to prevent the illegal movement of migrants and drugs.
In the note, the Foreign Ministry recalled that the inspections are implemented at four border crossings with the state of Texas: Zaragoza-Ysleta, Córdova-De las Américas, Colombia-Laredo and Reynosa-Pharr.
“It is estimated that in these four ports of entry only a third of the usual trade is crossing,” the note added.
He pointed out that “adjacent ports are currently being used during extended business hours to better manage flows in conjunction with federal authorities from both countries.”
“However, these measures could soon be carried out at any other crossing into the state of Texas,” he added.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry said that the Government of Mexico has entered into communication with that of the United States and with the office of the governor of Texas “to identify alternatives that guarantee security” on the shared border “without harming binational trade.”
This Tuesday, twenty business organizations with a presence in northern Mexico denounced that the inspections are “disrupting” the flow of goods at the border and putting the supply chain at risk, which can cause “million dollar losses.”
In another statement, the National Agricultural Council (CNA) of Mexico considered it “urgent” to take action in the face of inspections on the Mexico-Texas border.
protests
Mexican truckers blocked border bridges with the United States for the second day in a row on Tuesday.
“Yesterday I did 17 hours going back and forth, when I normally do three hours,” said Raymundo Galicia, a Mexican driver during a blockade on the international bridge that connects San Jerónimo, in Chihuahua, with Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
It is the third bridge in the bustling Ciudad Juárez-El Paso area to be blocked by drivers who have seen their pay drop since long wait times began last week.
Traffic on a fourth bridge that connects Reynosa, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, with Pharr, Texas, was also stopped Tuesday by drivers who crossed their trucks on the road and even began to barbecue on the Mexican side, according to photos seen by Reuters.
“They pay me the same if it takes me one hour or ten hours to cross, so this is affecting us a lot,” Galicia said, adding that he and his colleagues were preparing to close more international bridges if they did not have a response from the authority and The long lines ended.
With information from EFE and Reuters
