Mexican foreign minister slams ‘extortion’ by Texas in border dispute

Vehicles wait in a queue to cross into the United States in the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa Worldwide Bridge connecting the metropolis of Ciudad Juarez to Santa Teresa, Nuevo Mexico, Mexico April 14, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo

MEXICO City, Might 1 (Reuters) – The strain Texas exerted on neighboring Mexican states final thirty day period to tighten border protection was tantamount to “extortion”, Mexico’s international minister was quoted as stating on Sunday.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott produced specials with the governors of the border states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon soon after improved Texan protection checks to reduce smuggling of persons and contraband disrupted bilateral trade. read more

The episode sparked a testy reaction from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who described Texas’ habits as “despicable”, and his overseas minister, Marcelo Ebrard, this weekend weighed in with his possess criticism. read through far more

“Permit me set this in quotation marks, it is an extortion scheme, or rather it is extortion I near the border and you have to sign whatever I say. That is not a deal, a offer is when you and I are in settlement on a thing,” Ebrard was quoted as saying by information community Milenio in the course of a check out to Nuevo Leon.

Abbott’s office did not instantly respond to requests for comment outside of regular company hrs.

Ebrard did not acquire challenge with the Mexican governors, declaring that they experienced been introduced with no different.

“But we’re not prepared to have a governor extorting Mexico. I will under no circumstances allow for that,” he mentioned.

A spokesperson for the Mexican overseas ministry reported Ebrard experienced been interviewed by Milenio.

Abbott, who is working for re-election as governor, said Texas had reached accords with the Mexican states to beef up security at the border in buy to suppress illegal immigration.

Mexican media documented later on Sunday that Ebrard declared himself a applicant for the presidency in 2024 throughout a condition election campaign function in the central location of Hidalgo.

A international ministry official confirmed the reports, stating Ebrard experienced previously produced it apparent he supposed to operate.

History figures of people today have this calendar year been caught trying to cross the Mexican border into the United States. examine more

Reporting by Dave Graham Enhancing by Lisa Shumaker and Kenneth Maxwell

Our Criteria: The Thomson Reuters Rely on Concepts.