Enrique Peña Nieto will not attend the meeting dated with the new President of the United States, Donald Trump. This was announced yesterday through an official communication by the Presidency of the Government of Mexico.
“This morning the President of the Republic, Enrique Peña Nieto, announced that he informed the White House that he will not attend the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the President of the United States.
President Peña Nieto also reiterates Mexico’s willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements on behalf of both nations,” the statement said literally.
The “jilt” comes after Donald Trump had published an Executive Order on Internal Security and another Executive Order on Border Security Enforcement on January 25th, which further tightens up immigration regulations. The second order includes the construction of that famous wall that will cross the whole border with Mexico.
The executive order literally says: “Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the executive branch to: (a) secure the southern border of the United States through the immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border, monitored and supported by adequate personnel so as to prevent illegal immigration, drug and human trafficking, and acts of terrorism”. The order says as well in its Sec. 4 that the Government will: “(b) Identify and, to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of Federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border; (c) Project and develop long-term funding requirements for the wall, including preparing Congressional budget requests for the current and upcoming fiscal years.”
On January 25th, Trump explained during the speech offered at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that would strengthen the role of the mentioned Department in controlling and expelling illegal immigrants.
Among many other things the President of the USA announced that he would begin to build along with the National Security Secretary a wall on the border with Mexico, that another 5,000 people devoted to border patrols will be hired, and that a Agency for Homeland Security, dedicated to supporting victims of crime, will be established.
Trump underscored that the construction of the wall was “badly needed”, that the wal would also benefit Mexico because it would curb illegal immigration from Central America to the country and that Mexico’s lack of collaboration to solve these problems should end. Among other things, he announced that his Administration would cease the immediate returns when an illegal inmigrant is catched at the border and that the countries of origin of criminals and illegasl will have to take the work of repatriating them.
After these statements Peña Nieto issued an official statement against the two Orders of Trump and against that wall the “divides us”. Peña Nieto said that Mexico will not pay any wall and that its consulates will defend Mexican immigrants. The President of Mexico also decided not to meet with the new President of the United States.
“I regret and condemn the US decision to continue building a wall which for years has divided rather than united us.
Mexico does not believe in walls.
I have said this time and time again: Mexico will not pay for a wall”, said the President of Mexico in his official communication, and underscored as well: “The 50 Mexican Consulates in the United States will become true defenders of migrants’ rights.
Our communities are not alone. The Mexican government will provide them with legal advice, which will guarantee the protection they require.”
Mexico has taken advantage of the U.S. for long enough. Massive trade deficits & little help on the very weak border must change, NOW!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2017
Trump has reiterated today by a tweet (see it above) his position on the matter: “Mexico has taken advantage of the U.S. long enough. Massive trade deficits and the little help on the very weak border must change, ¡NOW!. “. The tweet does not precisely contribute to alleviate the tense situation between both countries.
The tweet was published at 14:00 pm (in Spain), short after the press office of The White House issued a joint statement on U.S.-Mexico Relations.
On the border wall the joint statement says: “With respect to payment for the border wall, both presidents recognize their clear and very public differences of positions on this issue but have agreed to work these differences out as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relationship.”
“The two (Presidents) had a productive and constructive call regarding the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the current trade deficit the United States has with Mexico, the importance of the friendship between the two nations, and the need for the two nations to work together to stop drug cartels, drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales.”
The communication underscores that “Both presidents have instructed their teams to continue the dialogue to strengthen this important strategic and economic relationship in a constructive way.” So the dialogue keeps on truck while there will be no meeting next Tuesday. Let’s see if the Mexican Presidency reacts to the tweet or chooses the path opened by the official communication issued by The White House.
Image over the headline.- Enrique Peña Nieto (President of Mexico). Source of the photo gob.mx
Related eastwind links:
Trump withdraws USA from TPP and multilateral treaty negotiations
Related external links:
Executive Order: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States
Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements
Trump’s speech at the DHS on 25th January -video-
Trump’s tweet on stopping Mexico’s taking advantage of the USA
Message by Enrique Peña Nieto (President of Mexico) against the two US Executive Orders (Publcio Safety and Border Security), issued on 25th January
Message by Enrique Peña Nieto (President of Mexico) against the two US Executive Orders (Publcio Safety and Border Security), issued on 25th January -video in Spanish-
Peña Nieto will not attend to the date with Trump (official communication in Spanish)
