Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has spoken out for the first time against Donald Trump, saying that the Republican front runner’s rhetoric is damaging the relationship between the United States and Mexico.
Trump, who has consistently used Mexico as a punching bag on the stump and promised to build a border wall that the U.S.’s southern neighbor will pay for, has incurred the wrath of two former Mexican presidents, but Peña Nieto’s remarks to El Universal Monday represent the first time the country’s current head of state has publicly spoken about the billionaire candidate.
“I am with those who regret and condemn this kind of [discriminatory] statements by Republican hopeful Donald Trump, they hurt the relationship with the U.S.,” Peña Nieto told El Universal
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While Peña Nieto added that he is not worried about Trump actually winning the presidential election in November, he did say that his administration will “seek the path of mutual respect, constructive dialogue and bridges that allow us to really build a better relationship” with whoever gets elected.
Last month, former Mexican President Vicente Fox was not as guarded with his words when speaking about Trump and his proposed border wall.
“I’m not going to pay for that f***ing wall!” Fox told Jorge Ramos in an interview for Fusion. “He should pay for it. He’s got the money.”
The former Mexican president, who led the country from 2000 to 2006, also questioned Trump’s allegiance to the Republican party, or, for that matter, any political party.
“He’s not a Republican. Absolutely not,” Fox said. “Those are not Republican principles. He is not a Democrat. He is just himself. He is egocentric.”
The comments from Fox echoed those of his successor, Felipe Calderón, a few days before.
To read full article: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2016/03/07/mexican-president-donald-trump-is-damaging-relationship-between-us-and-mexico/
