Texas anti-immigrant buoys violate Mexico’s sovereignty, says López Obrador

The president of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador described this Tuesday as a “provocation“that violates the sovereignty of his country the decision of the governor of Texas to place buoys at the border Rio Grande to prevent the passage of migrants.

At the beginning of July, the governor of the state of Texas, greg abbottordered the installation of a chain of buoys in the river as well as barbed wire barriers on the shore at a point through which migrants pass from Mexico to USA.

LOOK HERE: Texas enacts border security laws and installs buoy barrier on the Rio Grande border between the US and Mexico

Migrants have been trapped in the wire fence and have had to be rescued, according to some media reports.

“What is that to put a wire fence also invading what corresponds to our territory? It is an act of provocation in search of publicity”, questioned López Obrador during his usual morning conference.

Migrants walk past a series of buoys placed in the water along the Rio Grande border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 16, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (SUZANNE CORDEIRO/)

The Mexican president also thanked the decision of Washington to warn the Texas government about a possible lawsuit because the buoys obstruct river navigation, lack federal permits and pose humanitarian problems, as reported last week by the US Department of Justice.

“We thank the president very much [Joe] Biden for having sent (…) a complaint against the governor of Texas for installing these buoys, these wire fences in the Bravo River [como se le conoce en México]he Rio Grandewho are violating our sovereignty”, added López Obrador.

He also pointed out that the placement of the buoys violates bilateral treaties “out of respect for our territory”, based on international law, “plus what it implies of violation of human rights”.

Governor Abbott, for his part, responded to Washington that he has the power to defend the interests “sovereigns” from Texas, while accusing Biden of failing in his responsibilities to stop the flow of migrants entering USA by the border with Mexico.

López Obrador rejected Abbott’s arguments and maintained that “act irresponsibly”.

MORE INFORMATION: Mexico sends a note to the US for a wire fence and buoys on the border with Texas

“What you are doing is politicking and I think it will be counterproductive because Texans, our neighbors, brothers, are not going to approve of these illegal, authoritarian, arrogant and inhumane rudeness“, he claimed.

Meanwhile, senior Mexican and US officials have held a meeting in Mexico since Monday to address the issue of migration and the fight against trafficking fentanyl and of weapons.

Source: Elcomercio