Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador lashed out Wednesday over the reported treatment of migrants by Texas officials at the US-Mexico border, calling it "extreme" and "barbaric."
His reaction followed reports that officials have been ordered to push those crossing at the Texas border back into the Rio Grande River and not give them water.
During his morning briefing, Lopez Obrador commented on reports of Texas troopers pushing back groups of people into the Rio Grande, including small children and infants.
Although he was skeptical about the reports, he said hatred towards migrants from the south is typical of conservatives in the US.
On July 14, Lopez Obrador sent a diplomatic note to the US expressing concern over Texas Governor Greg Abbott's move to install floating barricades along the Rio Grande to deter migrants from crossing, which he said could be detrimental to the river's flow and violates the International Waters Treaty of 1944 between the two countries.
During his morning press conference, Lopez Obrador reiterated his stance toward US lawmakers trying to use migrants as a political tool, especially Governor Abbott.
"We will continue denouncing all those anti-migrant, anti-Mexican politicians, (including) the governor of Texas, who promotes these actions. Because even Republican senators from Texas have already moderated (their stance). I have been watching, and they have already toned it down. Still, the governor continues," he added.
