REYNOSA, Tamaulipas – McAllen Economic Development Corporation is urging Reynosa shoppers not to boycott McAllen stores in protest at what they perceive are the anti-Mexican policies of President Trump.

According to the newspaper Hoy Tamaulipas, McAllen stores have already lost four percent of business due to Trump.

“Today we learned via social media that a boycott has been launched to stop people from going to McAllen,” McAllen EDC stated, on its Facebook page on Sunday.

“McAllen has been a solid partner both in commerce and job creation. Over the last 29 years the McAllen Economic Development Corporation has worked aggressively to attract manufacturing companies to establish operations in Reynosa, creating more than 115,000 jobs and improving the lives of residents on both sides of the border.”

MEDC went on to say: “We understand the frustrations both with ideas and discussions that have been proposed by Washington and Mexico City, but now is not the time to jump ship and lose focus. Now more than ever we should band together and bridge our two countries. Let us be the model and story that speaks differently of what international trade and commerce brings to our own families. Divided we both lose.”

MEDC posted the hashtags #onefuture #oneborder.

MEDC also posted a quote on Facebook from Dennis Nixon, CEO of International Bank of Commerce. “Texas cannot survive without Mexico, it’s our largest trading partner. It would put Texas in a recession — immediately — and it would frankly destroy Laredo, Texas. We would not exist without trade,” Nixon said.

Ironically, Nixon was a top fundraiser for Trump in Texas during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump has signed an executive order to build a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and his staff has floated an idea to impose a 20 percent tariff on Mexican imports to pay for the wall. Trump has also expressed pleasure in Ford Motor Company’s flip-flop over building an auto plant in San Luis Potosi and air conditioner company Carrier’s decision not to invest in a plant in Monterrey and stay in Indiana.

MEDC got push back from Reynosa residents that up until now have enjoyed shopping in McAllen.

“The Mexicans who are located on the border have the power to buy and select where to buy. Honestly, we do not go to USA due to your clown who became a president,” said Carlos Jackson. “Now our decision is to consume our products.”

Jackson said Mexicans will in future buy jeans in Moroleón and buy shoes in León. He said they would buy electronics from Asia, including LG, which has a large maquila in Reynosa.

“In the near future, will be an excellent idea to open our border to the China automotive industry and stop buying your USA brands of cars,” Jackson wrote. “This is just the beginning of the economic war, and a second option might be to buy gasoline from Venezuela and not from your country.”

Elected officials in McAllen and surrounding cities are hoping that if they pass resolutions condemning Trump’s plans for a border wall and import tariffs on Mexican goods, Reynosa shoppers will realize that Trump’s policies are not popular in the Rio Grande Valley.

In the 2016 Presidential Election, Trump secured only 28.1 percent of vote in Hidalgo County, compared to 68.6 percent for Hillary Clinton. In Cameron County, Clinton secured 64.6 percent, compared to Trump’s 32.1 percent. In Willacy County, Trump picked up 30.3 percent, while Clinton won 67.2 percent. In Starr County, Clinton won 79.1 percent, compared to Trump’s 19.0 percent.

In his recent State of the City address, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said 37 percent of sales tax receipts in McAllen come from Mexican shoppers.

Editor’s Note: The main image accompanying this story shows La Plaza Mall in McAllen. Mexican shoppers are a big part of its success, say owners Simon Properties.