Mexico COVID-19: AMLO Rules out Border and Airport Closures

The President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), ruled out Wednesday the closure of borders or airports as a measure to face the epidemic of COVID-19 because it would represent a severe blow to the economy.

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The head of state clarified that the Executive branch is working to combat the virus in the country, "we are concerned about the situation of the epidemic, and we have to attend to it, but we also have to act responsibly," he said.

To face the international economic crisis that has deepened the new coronavirus, the government of Mexico intends to adjust its budget, expand social spending programs and expedite the date of implementation of the treaty signed with the United States and Canada (T-MEC).

AMLO said that Mexico is still in a first phase of imported infections and that "the right decisions" are being made, such as the closure of schools since March 20 and the cancellation of events for more than 5,000 people.

Regarding the T-MEC and the international impact on the main stock markets in the world, AMLO pointed out that it is an issue opposed "to the closing of the borders. It is, on the contrary, to further intensify the economic and commercial relationship."

Since the lockdown of the U.S, borders as part of the measures taken by Donald Trump to contain the COVID-19, authorities of both countries hold bilateral talks so that this does not affect the relations of respect and cooperation that have been developed so far, especially because Mexico decided to intensify the revisions, on preventive health issues for both Mexican and U.S. nationals.

AMLO also highlighted that relations with the government of Canada are good and thanked them that "they did not put barriers or obstacles for Mexican travelers," for what he described as "respectful" the treatment between both countries. 

So far, according to the General Director of Public Health Services of the Mexican capital, Jorge Alfredo Ochoa, 93 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the country, of which 40 were imported from Spain, one of the countries most affected by the virus.