Mexican authorities moved quickly to remove signs placed on national territory by U.S. contractors near the mouth of the Rio Grande, prompting a diplomatic stir between the two countries.
According to CBS News, the incident occurred on Monday at Playa Bagdad, a beach in northeast Mexico close to where the river meets the Gulf of Mexico.
The signs, written in both English and Spanish, warned that the area was a “Restricted Area” under U.S. Department of Defense control, prohibiting unauthorized access, photography, or drawings.
Witnesses reported that men in a boat arrived at the beach and installed the signs, which led to immediate confusion about whether the territory was U.S. or Mexican.
Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the navy had removed the signs late Monday, stating, “The origin of the signs and their placement on national territory were unclear.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that the International Boundary and Water Commission, a binational agency responsible for defining the border, was involved in resolving the matter.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said the signs had been installed by contractors marking “National Defense Area III.”
According to a Pentagon statement, changes in water depth and river topography had altered the perceived location of the border.
“Government of Mexico personnel removed six signs based on their perception of the international boundary’s location,” the statement said, adding that contractors would coordinate with the appropriate agencies to prevent future confusion.
Sheinbaum emphasized that the incident highlighted Mexico’s insistence on sovereignty. “We operate in our territory, that we do not accept any intervention by a foreign government,” she said, addressing earlier comments from President Trump about taking military action against cartels in Mexico.
The area near Playa Bagdad is sensitive for multiple reasons. It borders the SpaceX Starbase launch site in Texas, which works under contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense.
Past rocket tests from the facility have scattered debris into Mexican territory, raising environmental and safety concerns.
While President Donald Trump said Monday that he would do “whatever it takes” to stop drugs from entering the U.S., Sheinbaum reiterated that cooperation is welcome, but unilateral U.S. military action in Mexico is unacceptable.
The border signs incident has now become a flashpoint in ongoing U.S.-Mexico discussions over territory, security, and sovereignty.
