Crossing the (political) border
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of the United States and Mexico decided in March and to restrict entry to our country only to U.S. citizens and people with permanent residence documents until further notice.
The idea was to combat and prevent the spread of the 2019 Coronavirus in the border area. To the surprise of many, not only has the deadly virus not stopped, but it has been spreading rapidly on both sides of our border.
Residents of Imperial Valley and Mexicali have blamed each other for the increase in cases without any scientific basis. Suddenly, someone just wanted to blame those who reside on the other side of the border line, and many others have repeated the comment.
Perhaps there have been case of local residents who have been infected by visitors from the neighboring country, but this has been more an exception than a rule. I think the blame for the increase in cases and deaths has been more than anything else for not complying with official regulations — wearing a face mask, washing hands, avoiding parties and meetings, etc.
The fact is that the spread of the virus that reached our region almost five months ago has not stopped. The closure of the border was supposed to prevent precisely this. Possibly it would be worse if the restrictions had not been implemented, but that is a flat assumption that should remain in the world of possibilities.
Despite the restrictions imposed, there are those who, although theoretically lacking legal authorization to cross into the United States, have managed to do so. This is the case of Mexicali Mayor Marina Ávila and Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla.
Recently, the Mexicali woman
( who has undertaken an illegal fight against foreign visitors without giving a damn about the risk to tourism) visited Calexico to receive the key to the city, which council members very kindly gave her for no reason — unless they somehow deemed the long lines and traffic jams her policies were creating on this side of the border as worthy of reward.
What is not known for sure is whether Avila, a former supporter of the National Action Party has permanent residence or U. S. citizenship to be able to cross the border as agreed by the governments of both countries. And whatever people might say, receiving the keys to a city in a council meeting is far from being considered an essential matter.
Over the weekend, media businessman Jaime Bonilla was caught at a San Diego County casino while waiting to receive a prize he won on a gaming machine. Although he has a residence and business in Chula Vista, for the simple fact of being a Mexican citizen, he is prohibited from crossing the border. Period.
The fact is that these politicians from the “party of change” have provided (to the dismay of Morena’s followers) more of the same as the previous rulers.
Mexican law prohibits dual citizens or foreign nationals to hold public office, either by appointment or by election.
It is a shame to see how in a matter of months the National Regeneration Movement has betrayed its voters’ confidence and the years it spent building a political movement for the long- awaited real change in Mexico.