Cortez sought spiritual guidance from Bishop Flores before issuing stay-at-home order

EDINBURG, Texas - Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez called Bishop of Brownsville Daniel Flores for spiritual guidance before announcing a new shelter at home order. The new order also includes a curfew, essential travel limitations and a requirement for everyone to use facial coverings while outdoors. Cortez acknowledges the order is not enforceable.“Who would ever have thought back on March 21, when we had the first incident of someone testing positive, that we would be caught in this pandemic with these tragic numbers of people infected and fatalities. And the impact it would have on our businesses and people,” Cortez said during a Facebook live event.Cortez said the situation has gotten so bad that the county is using refrigerated trucks as morgues. He said he was alarmed to learn that flea markets like the one in Alamo is still operating with visitors not adhering to social distancing guidelines.“This is a monster,” Cortez said of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I have spent most of this weekend calling other county judges, calling the State of Texas emergency management team. I even called the bishop for spiritual help. I am looking around for every possible source of a solution as to how do we solve this problem.”Cortez said that after discussing the situation with leaders in the medical community he has come to realize there is no easy fix. “There isn’t just one thing to do. It is going to take a combination of things,” he said. Acknowledging that his new shelter-in-place order lacks enforcement capability, Cortez said he does not think he needs it. He said he trusts that Hidalgo County residents will “do the right thing.”Editor's Note: The attached podcast features Judge Cortez, state Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen, Texas, Dr. Ivan Melendez, Hidalgo County's health authority, and Dr. Victor Gonzalez of the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.