Authorities and citizens who have restricted access to 340 municipalities in 15 states across the country are in violation of the constitutional right to free movement, according to the federal Interior Ministry (Segob).

The study released by the ministry’s human rights office reveals that the situation is most severe in Campeche, where all of the state’s 11 municipalities have either prohibited or restricted access.

As many as 80% of municipalities in Guerrero are controlling access, while that rate is 36% in Veracruz and 25% in Oaxaca. State and local authorities have restricted entry in Colima, México state, Baja California Sur, Chiapas and Chihuahua as well.

Segob also called out authorities who have initiated curfews in 31 municipalities in Guerrero, Michoacán, Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Jalisco, Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Morelos, Coahuila and Nuevo León.

“The patrols, closures of state or municipal borders, are severe restrictions to free transit. The states and municipalities do not have the authority to order them, unless they have express authorization from the General Health Council to set up screening checkpoints,” said Segob human rights Deputy Minister Alejandro Encinas.

“It’s important to emphasize that access points controlled by indigenous citizens or authorities tend not to have adequate health measures or satisfactory practices for dealing with Covid-19. That’s why their presence doesn’t guarantee that the risk will be minimized. On the contrary, it puts those who participate in them at risk,” he added.

Source: El Universal (sp)