Mexico temporarily suspends cargo lanes after national failure of customs equipment
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Border Report) — Business site visitors heading south of the border is returning to regular after a nationwide failure of Mexico’s customs gear prompted the suspension of cargo lanes at one South Texas bridge and triggered important backups at a number of different bridges.
On Wednesday evening, the Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de Mexico (ANAM) introduced it was suspending all operations on the Puente Internacional III de Comercio bridge between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and Laredo, Texas.
Backups additionally have been reported on the Colombia Solidarity Worldwide Bridge, which connects to the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.
An official with town of Laredo advised Border Report that the system was again up on Thursday morning, and truckers have been slowly starting to cross from South Texas into the northern Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon.
The World Commerce Bridge is the No. 1 inland port for industrial vans on the Southwest border and is the place billions of {dollars} of commerce and commerce cross the border yearly.
The announcement by ANAM was shared all through social media and on X the place quite a few truckers commented on ready for hours to cross into Mexico.
A U.S. Customs and Border Safety spokesperson confirmed to Border Report there have been “nationwide points” and referred all additional inquiries to ANAM.
The CBP spokesperson stated there was no downside with U.S. processing gear at any of the South Texas ports of entry.
Nonetheless, the shutdown was inflicting backups of truckers who have been caught, unable to cross the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas, into Mexico.
On Thursday, the Metropolis of Laredo issued an announcement on X, previously Twitter, that “site visitors is slowly starting to clear,” and for residents to “train warning when driving.”
Huge 18-wheeler rigs have been lined up on Loop 20 between FM1472 and Interstate 35 and inflicting backups all through the border city.
Truckers additionally may very well be seen on Metropolis of Laredo webcams shifting slowly by the Colombia Solidarity Bridge on Thursday afternoon.
The Laredo official advised Border Report that “all bridge operations have been impacted so no clearance export to Mexico. Completely different bridges have been impacted in another way.”
With all cargo inspections halted, truckers couldn’t cross.
Officers estimate that $1 million cross to and from Mexico per minute with about 20,000 vans a day crossing.
“It did affect commerce and the system,” he stated.
On the Pharr Worldwide Bridge, within the Rio Grande Valley, Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez stated there was no closure or uncommon wait occasions. “It didn’t have an effect on us,” he advised Border Report.
Hernandez stated it’s not cost-effective for truckers to loop three or extra hours east simply to cross the border after they’ll must make up that distance again on the Mexican aspect. He stated when closures occur, most truckers will keep put and wait.
On the Veterans Worldwide Bridge, in Brownsville, there was a line of vans ready on the freeway earlier Thursday. However that dissipated by early night.
One trucker, who simply crossed from Mexico and didn’t wish to be recognized, advised Border Report that the closure affected the whole nation however now every little thing is getting again to regular.
Sandra Sanchez might be reached at [email protected].