Covid-19: Mexicans demand Americans stop crossing border as it spreads coronavirus

Plot twist.

Belmont Lay | March 27, 2020, 03:17 AM

Mexicans are demanding that a United States border crossing be shut out of fear Americans might cross it and spread the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, BBC reported.

Mexican residents in Sonora, south of the U.S. state of Arizona, are protesting for the closure to happen.

They have promised to block traffic into Mexico for a second day on Thursday, March 26.

A checkpoint was closed for hours on Wednesday.

Protesters want the border closed as there has been little enforcement and no testing by authorities.

This is despite the border having already supposedly been closed to all except "essential" business.

Told Americans to stay home

Mexicans wore face masks and held signs informing Americans they should "stay at home".

The U.S. has more than 65,000 Covid-19 cases, while Mexio has fewer than 500.

More testing to be done on all

Members of a Sonora-based group, Health and Life, led the blockade.

They called for medical testing to be done on anyone who crosses from the U.S. into Mexico.

"There are no health screenings by the federal government to deal with this pandemic," a group member said.

"We've taken this action to call on the Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to act now."

The group does not discriminate though.

They have called for enforcement of the crossing ban on all Americans and Mexicans for all purposes, including tourism or medical reasons.

This rigorous testing would also apply to those who cross the border daily for school or work in the U.S.

Medical testing on Mexicans deported from the U.S. must also be conducted.

Twist

This latest twist is bound to raise chuckles.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged to cut down on people crossing the border from Mexico.

Consistent with this policy, he had announced last week that the frontier was to close due to Covid-19.

The Mexican and American presidents have been criticised for their respective responses to the pandemic.

Top photo via