Overview
- Environmental group Conibio Global reported that people crossed by boat from the U.S. to Playa Bagdad in Matamoros and installed signs declaring the area a U.S. Department of Defense restricted zone citing Section 21 of the 1950 Internal Security Act.
- The Mexican Navy removed six signs after a joint Foreign Ministry–Navy statement said their placement raised questions about provenance and location on Mexican soil.
- Initial checks relayed by Mexico’s consulate in Brownsville found no confirmation that a U.S. authority placed the signs.
- President Claudia Sheinbaum said U.S. Embassy and consular offices reported no record, while another U.S. office indicated a contractor had been hired to install them.
- The Mexican section of the International Boundary and Water Commission began technical consultations as state officials sought clarification, with local advocates stressing the site’s ecological sensitivity.