MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2021) Mexico has extended the ban on crossing its land border from the United States for states considered high COVID-19 risk, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
"[Mexico's] restrictions on non-essential land border crossing from [the United States] will be maintained until 23:59 of May 21 [04:59 May 22 GMT], 2021, in the northern states which are colored [orange] and [red], according to the epidemiological risk indicators of [the Mexican government]," the ministry tweeted.
This means that out of the country's five border states, the ban will remain in force only in Chihuahua.
"[Mexico] and [the United States] are discussing making border restrictions more flexible based on the spreading rate of COVID-19 on both sides of the border," the ministry added.
Both countries have been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with the US having over 31.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University database, and Mexico reporting over 2.3 million cases.
Since March 21, 2020, the US and Mexico have maintained border crossing restrictions that allow only essential cargo traffic and travels for medicinal, educational or governmental purposes, as well as emergency visits.
