MEXICO CITY, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday criticized a recent string of border barriers put up by the U.S. state of Texas as "vulgar publicity stunts" intended to keep migrants out.
The president 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 Rio 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 the president, noting the string of buoys spans no more than "300 meters" while the U.S.-Mexico border is over 3,000 km long. ■