LAREDO, TX – The city of Laredo, Texas, will offer a number of services to Mexican citizens returning home for the Christmas and New Year’s vacations.
Operation Paisano, which has been in place for 24 years, includes information on hotels, restaurants, customs laws, naturalization processing, crime reporting procedures, and consular and immigration regulations.
This year, Operation Paisano will be held at the Sames Auto Arena on December 18, 2023, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm. Staff from the City of Laredo, the Mexican Consulate and other agencies will be on site to provide information and assistance.
In addition, local, state and federal officials will patrol IH-35 South to offer assistance to Paisanos in need of help, including security, traffic control and roadside assistance.
To avoid traffic congestion on Bridge II, Paisanos traveling into Mexico through Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, should take Bridge I. Motorists exiting Del Mar exit #4 onto Santa Maria Avenue should follow it southbound to Bridge I. There will be additional signage directing them to the international bridge.
Paisanos wishing to avoid congestion altogether may take the Solidaridad Colombia Bridge (Bridge III) to Nuevo Leon, MX. The extended hours of operation for Bridge III will be December 15, opening at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until December 18 at midnight or until all traffic clears. Normal hours for the Solidarity Colombia Bridge are 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
For regular AVI motorists crossing daily, there will be a special designated crossing route for them to take to Bridge II to avoid traffic congestion from the Paisano center and stores.
Local motorists should be aware of the additional vacation traffic in the coming days and exercise caution and patience when traveling in downtown areas and around major shopping centers.
