Today, October 9, 2023, on behalf of the Government of Mexico, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to the United States Government in relation to the impact on bilateral trade of the closure of several ports of entry in the regions of Tijuana, Baja California with San Diego, California; Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua with El Paso, Texas; and Piedras Negras, Coahuila with Eagle Pass, Texas. The Mexican government also expressed concern about the security measures taken by the Texas government.
In the note, the Government of Mexico asks for the resumption of cross-border trade, which has been interrupted due to the closure of cargo operations at the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) since September 18, the closure of the Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass International Bridge I since September 20, and the closure of the PedWest pedestrian crossing at the El Chaparral-San Ysidro port of entry since September 14 of this year.
The Government of Mexico recognizes the progress made by the binational dialogue, which has made possible the partial reopening of the commercial area of the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) beginning on October 10, 2023, and reaffirms its commitment to continue working to fully restore operations.
In addition, the Government of Mexico respectfully urges the United States Government to mediate with the Texas Government to stop the exhaustive inspections of cargo trucks carried out by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) at the Zaragoza-Ysleta, Guadalupe-Tornillo and Ciudad Acuña-Del Río International Bridges.
The Government of Mexico continues in communication with the United States Government to promote measures that benefit binational trade and economic development across our common border.