Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Photo: Google

XINHUA

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) on Monday, July 17, criticized a recent string of border barriers put up by Texas to curb illegal entries into the state as “vulgar publicity stunts” intended to keep migrants out.

AMLO also called on Mexicans residing in the United States to punish anti-immigrant U.S. politicians, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, at the polls in upcoming elections.

The Texas government has ordered the build-up of barriers in parts of the Río Grande, the U.S.-Mexican boundary river, including a fence of spiral razor wire and a string of giant buoys designed to make it impossible to cross the river.

Mexico has since June 26 been requesting the United States to remove the barriers from the Rio Grande.

Installing the barriers is just part of pre-election “politicking,” said AMLO, noting the string of buoys spans no more than “300 meters” while the U.S.-Mexico border is over 3,000 kilometers long.