The placement of the floating barrier that the state of Texas installed within the channel of the Rio Grande, from the Eagle Pass area, violates Article 17 of the International Waters Treaty of 1944, which establishes that “The use of the channels of the International rivers for the discharge of floods or other excess water will be free.”, the statement read.
The Foreign Ministry added that the barrier also violates Article IV B.1 of the 1970 Boundary Treaty, which establishes that “Both in the main channel of the river and in adjacent lands up to a distance on both sides of the international boundary recommended by the Commission and approved by the two Governments, each Contracting State shall prohibit the construction in its territory of works that, in the opinion of the Commission, may cause diversion or obstruction of the normal course of the river or of its flood flows.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Mexico has also been requesting since June 26 that both the barrels and the barbed wire fence be removed from the Rio Grande bed. The Mexican authorities are concerned about the effects of obstruction and diversion of runoff towards Mexican territory and that in the future the course of the river will not be considered for the installation of said elements.