Villarreal: We are excited our bridges have been reopened to Mexican travelers

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - There was excitement and relief among retail store and restaurant owners, chamber of commerce leaders and elected officials in South Texas on Monday as Mexican visa holders were finally allowed to revisit the region.So-called “non-essential” travelers from Mexico had been unable to come into the United States since March 2020, a blockade installed in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus.Now, though, the U.S. and Mexican federal governments believe it is safe for travelers to cross, provided they can show proof they have had a Covid-19 vaccine. The bridges were re-opened to such travelers on Nov. 8.“Non-essential travelers are essential to our economy,” said Esmy Villarreal, president and CEO of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce.“At the border, we highly depend on our foreign travelers. They are our family. The make our business continue to grow. So we are excited about the re-opening of our port of entry. We have been waiting for 19 months.”Villarreal said the number of cases of Covid-19 has been dropping in her city. However, she said the health authorities were right in remaining vigilant. She said the city of Brownsville is open for business. “We have been open for business for the last 19 months. We are excited and we welcome all of our visitors with open arms. Our businesses depend on their investments. Of course, our hotels and our motels, everyone depends on our visitors. From a small business to a larger corporation. Most importantly, we are happy that our families are getting reunited. Because we are a community that is driven by our families.”Editor's Note: The read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.