Juárez business leaders pushing to keep commercial traffic at BOTA
Heriberto Perez
JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — Business leaders in Juárez wrote a letter to U.S. authorities asking to keep commercial traffic at BOTA last weekend. They said they first gave one to CBP officials and then will continue to ask other entities on both sides of the border to push for keeping cargo once modernizations start.
Cargo at BOTA has been highly criticized due to its pollution and how it has impacted the South-Central El Paso community for years.
The Chihuahua delegate of the Mexico National Association of Importers and Exporters (ANIERM), Marcelo Vázquez went to an international bridges and ports of entry meeting in Mexico City last week, where they gave this letter.
Along with Vázquez, other business, industry and cargo transportation leaders signed the letter as well.
According to them, if cargo is removed, the El Paso – Ciudad Juárez regions could see a big hit in the local economy, plus the environmental and social impacts.
“More pollution will be created, and it will spread to areas that currently don’t have it,” the letter says.
Currently, BOTA sees about 10% of the total crossings of the area, Ysleta-Zaragoza sees the most with around 70%; the rest cross through Santa Teresa and Tornillo.
In April, around 124,405 semi-trucks crossed through all four Ports of Entry; only BOTA saw 16,232.
“In March, $8.5 billion in exports crossed through these four international ports. Last year, combined exports through these four ports totaled $82.656 billion. BOTA carries at least 10% of these exports, which generate jobs on both sides of the border,” they added.
ABC-7 reached out to ANIERM for more updates on the proposed closure of commercial traffic at BOTA once modernization projects start in 2026-2027.