Mexico flags U.S. border delays as detrimental to both countries

MEXICO – Mexicos Foreign Ministry said that speeding up the flow of goods on the border is a matter of urgency and that slowdowns are detrimental to both economies after bottlenecks have held up trade following a row over migration.

Delays along the Mexico-U.S. border began late last month after U.S. border agents were moved to handle an influx of migrants, slowing the flow of both goods and people.

The staffing shortages came shortly after President Donald Trump threatened to close the border if Mexico did not halt a surge of people seeking asylum in the United States

“Slow the flow of good and the transit of people is a detriment to our economies and for the regions competitiveness” the ministry said in a statement. 

The collective losses for companies that rely on cross-border supply chains have reached into the millions. Nearly 30 companies in Ciudad Juarez, on the opposite side of the border from El Paso, reported losses of US$15 million in a single week in early April.