Austin Mayor Steve Adler says he now regrets going on vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last month while telling Texas citizens to stay home at the same time.
"I want you to know that I regret that travel. I wouldn't travel now. I didn't over Thanksgiving, and I won't over Christmas, and no one should. Everyone should be avoiding non-essential travel now because we are in the orange area," he said in a YouTube video.
Adler flew to Mexico on a private plane to celebrate his daughter's wedding with about 20 other guests in early November, the Austin American Statesman reported.
On November 9, the Austin mayor recorded a Facebook video urging citizens to stay home because of the pandemic. The video was recorded while Adler was still out of the country, but didn't mention his location while on camera.
“We need to stay home if you can. This is not the time to relax. We are going to be looking really closely. ... We may have to close things down if we are not careful," Adler said in the video.
The mayor is apologizing but says he didn't violate any local or state COVID-19 restrictions or orders by traveling internationally.
"I regret this travel. I wouldn’t travel now, didn’t over Thanksgiving and won’t over Christmas. But my fear is that this travel, even having happened during a safer period, could be used by some as justification for risky behavior. In hindsight, and even though it violated no order, it set a bad example for which I apologize," he said in a statement to KVUE.
Air travel between the U.S. and Mexico continues with few restrictions despite the pandemic. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans not to travel south of the border right now.
Photo: Getty Images