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Mexican-Americans urge boycott of border vendors

The debated June 6 incident

"In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day." - Image by Luis Guitierrez
"In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day."

As a result of an attack on a U.S. citizen by street vendors in the waiting lane to San Ysidro, daily users of the Port of Entry started a boycott against sellers. Through social media groups and the hashtag #NiUnDolarMas ("Not even one dollar more"), Mexican-Americans are encouraging not to buy products from vendors in the waiting lane.

The incident happened June 6 when a San Ysidro local was pulled over by the municipal police for a traffic offense. The driver decided to avoid the officer and drove towards the Port of Entry. In his attempt to reach U.S. soil he hit a couple of vendors' carts used to display their products and plowed through the traffic. Surrounding sellers stopped him, arguing he ran over a child, a fact that was denied by the authorities.

Videos showing an angry mob of sellers breaking the car windows and pulling the driver out while his wife and child were inside the car caused outrage among the bi-national community. The next day users of the social media group “Como esta la linea” began the move against border crossing lane merchants.

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Amando Arciniega, who crosses daily to work in San Diego, agrees with the initiative. Even though he admitted that the driver did wrong by trying to escape from the police on the Mexican side, he says the way that vendors acted has no justification because the police were present to handle the situation.

"They just sell junk food or souvenirs about El Chapo or Scarface.”

“In their claim for 'justice,' vendors acted as savages and put at risk the life of the child inside the car. They should take the consequences of their actions, if we get united things like this should disappear. The consumer should hold the power, not the seller. Is not just because of this incident; it is years of the same thing.”

Vidal Hidalgo, another Mexican-American who agrees with the boycott, noted that these sellers shouldn’t be in that area in the first place because it’s on the jurisdiction of the federal government. “Besides, they just sell junk food or souvenirs about El Chapo or Scarface.”

Lucero Orozco said judging all vendors equally is not fair for those that make an effort to bring food to their families honestly.

“People call them parasites or worse just because they can cross to the U.S. and have government support when they are having harsh times. In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day. If they don’t sell they don’t eat.”

Cesar Heredia, responsible for the municipal department which gives permissions for street vendors, said that past governments had given 450 permissions when it should be just 50.

Ignacio Lopez, leader of the vendors' organization, said their behavior in the incident was justified, because the driver was avoiding the law and because people have been crushed to death due to irresponsible drivers. He said that the union of vendors has been affected by their sales since the Covid-19 outbreak; he did not want to specify if the boycott has directly reduced their sales.

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"In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day." - Image by Luis Guitierrez
"In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day."

As a result of an attack on a U.S. citizen by street vendors in the waiting lane to San Ysidro, daily users of the Port of Entry started a boycott against sellers. Through social media groups and the hashtag #NiUnDolarMas ("Not even one dollar more"), Mexican-Americans are encouraging not to buy products from vendors in the waiting lane.

The incident happened June 6 when a San Ysidro local was pulled over by the municipal police for a traffic offense. The driver decided to avoid the officer and drove towards the Port of Entry. In his attempt to reach U.S. soil he hit a couple of vendors' carts used to display their products and plowed through the traffic. Surrounding sellers stopped him, arguing he ran over a child, a fact that was denied by the authorities.

Videos showing an angry mob of sellers breaking the car windows and pulling the driver out while his wife and child were inside the car caused outrage among the bi-national community. The next day users of the social media group “Como esta la linea” began the move against border crossing lane merchants.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Amando Arciniega, who crosses daily to work in San Diego, agrees with the initiative. Even though he admitted that the driver did wrong by trying to escape from the police on the Mexican side, he says the way that vendors acted has no justification because the police were present to handle the situation.

"They just sell junk food or souvenirs about El Chapo or Scarface.”

“In their claim for 'justice,' vendors acted as savages and put at risk the life of the child inside the car. They should take the consequences of their actions, if we get united things like this should disappear. The consumer should hold the power, not the seller. Is not just because of this incident; it is years of the same thing.”

Vidal Hidalgo, another Mexican-American who agrees with the boycott, noted that these sellers shouldn’t be in that area in the first place because it’s on the jurisdiction of the federal government. “Besides, they just sell junk food or souvenirs about El Chapo or Scarface.”

Lucero Orozco said judging all vendors equally is not fair for those that make an effort to bring food to their families honestly.

“People call them parasites or worse just because they can cross to the U.S. and have government support when they are having harsh times. In Tijuana, there are people that live without knowing if they will eat the next day. If they don’t sell they don’t eat.”

Cesar Heredia, responsible for the municipal department which gives permissions for street vendors, said that past governments had given 450 permissions when it should be just 50.

Ignacio Lopez, leader of the vendors' organization, said their behavior in the incident was justified, because the driver was avoiding the law and because people have been crushed to death due to irresponsible drivers. He said that the union of vendors has been affected by their sales since the Covid-19 outbreak; he did not want to specify if the boycott has directly reduced their sales.

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