Mexican President Could Cancel US Trip Over Trump’s Wall Order

Vishakha Sonawane
Updated
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is scheduled to visit the U.S. on Jan. 31, but President Donald Trump's directive Wednesday to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border has made that uncertain.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is contemplating scrapping his scheduled visit to Washington, D.C., next week over President Donald Trump’s order to start construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Associated Press (AP) reported Wednesday, citing a senior Mexican official.

Earlier in the day, Trump signed directives to build the wall along the roughly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, a promise he made during his election campaign. The move met with backlash in Mexico, where lawmakers criticized Trump’s order.

The National Action Party’s Margareta Zavala called it “an offense to Mexico” ahead of Nieto’s visit planned for Jan. 31. Jorge Castañeda Gutman, who served as secretary of foreign affairs under former Mexican President Vicente Fox, also condemned the move.

“This is an insult to those Mexican officials, to the president of Mexico and to all Mexicans,” he said, referring to two Mexican officials who met Trump administration staff Wednesday.

“It’s a way of making them negotiate under threat, under insults, and it should lead Peña Nieto to cancel his trip next week,” Castañeda said. “Peña [Nieto] is a weak president in a weak country at a weak moment, but he has to find a way to get some official backbone.”

Peña Nieto, meanwhile, said his country will not pay for the wall.

"I've said time and again; Mexico won't pay for any wall. It comes as our country is talking on new rules on cooperation, trade, investment, security and migration in the North American region. As president I assume the complete responsibility to defend the interests of Mexico and Mexicans,” he said. "Based on a final report by the functionaries in Washington, D.C., and advice from the chamber of commerce, governors, and so on, I will decide the right next steps to take. Mexico offers its friendship to the American people and its willingness to reach accords with their government. Agreements that will be in favor of both Mexico and the U.S.," he added.

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