TIJUANA (Border Report) — Following the announcement that essential travel border restrictions will continue for another month between Mexico and the United States, Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla said he can’t find a reason to justify the extension.
Bonilla also stated California would benefit more economically with the opening of the border than his state, which lies directly south of the border from California.
“It’s my point of view the economy is hurting more on the other side of the border,” Bonilla said.
During a morning briefing, Bonilla said it was a given the restrictions would be lifted this month since they “completed everything that was asked from them by the United States, including vaccinating more than 70 percent of the population against the coronavirus.”
He went on to say it’s “highly likely” restrictions will be lifted in August.
“There was no reason to keep the border closed, we did our part, at least what our president promised Baja California would do,” Bonilla said.
Meantime, Baja California Health Secretary Alonso Pérez Rico said it’s not their decision to make, that the United States will notify them with guidelines when restrictions are lifted in the future.
“We’re confident that when the border does open, we will get plenty of notice and they’ll tell us who and how people will be able to cross,” Pérez Rico said.
In a tweet Wednesday morning, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said, “To decrease the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through August 21, while ensuring the continued flow of essential trade and travel.”