Government of the State of Chihuahua

Chihuahua's Gov. Javier Corral (center) meets with some of the protesters that took La Boquilla dam on Sept. 14, 2020.

MEXICO CITY — A 1940s agreement between Mexico and the U.S. has ignited a revolt in a Mexican border state southeast of Arizona. Farmworkers took control of a dam last week, demanding water.

Protesters in the state of Chihuahua argue that most of the water from a local river is being sent to the U.S. under the agreement, which affects their crops during a tough dry season. 

The National Guard was securing La Boquilla dam, but it was outnumbered. Efforts to quell the protest with tear gas failed, and the Guard was forced to abandon the site.

The Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the protest is a political move from his opponents, including Chihuahua’s Gov. Javier Corral.

But Corral said he rejects the distorted version from the president, accusing him of not attending the people’s demands and the proposals from the state government.

According to Mexican federal authorities, Mexico is complying with the agreement properly and not oversupplying the U.S.