Trump Threatens Over Pena Nieto
Trump Threatens Over Pena Nieto
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WASHINGTON DC - Trump's pushback Mexico President, Enrique Peña Nieto which said again on Wednesday that his country "will not pay for any wall,"
Trump tweeted that they should just skip their planned January 31 meeting at the White House.
"If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting," Trump tweeted and in an earlier tweet he noted the US trade deficit with Mexico and what he said were the American job losses caused by NAFTA.
On Wednesday night, Pena Nieto had said he did not see a need to cancel his trip, but reiterated that he wouldn't fund the wall.
"Mexico does not believe in walls. I've said time again; Mexico will not pay for any wall," he said in a video statement posted to Twitter and translated by CNN from Spanish.
The back and forth between the two leaders which began last year during the very first days of the Trump campaign when he called some Mexicans entering the US criminals and rapists and tensions lingered throughout the campaing. They escalated over the last 24 hours when Trump took executive action on Wednesday to begin the process of erecting a wall.
The President announced that move while a high-level Mexican delegation was visiting the White House -- the first foreign representatives to visit since Trump took office -- for meetings with top officials, including Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and adviser Jared Kushner.
Peña Nieto said he would wait for a final report from his top officials in Washington, and previous meetings with Mexican legislators, before deciding which steps he would take next.
Peña also said he had ordered government agencies to step up protection for immigrants.
"I've asked for the minister of Foreign Relations to re-enforce protection measures to our citizens," he said. He added that the 50
Mexican Consulates in the US will be used to defend the rights of immigrants in the country. He also issued a call to action to legislators and civil organizations to help immigrants.
Peña Nieto closed his message by saying that Mexico offers and expects respect.
"Mexico offers its friendship to the people of the United States and expresses its wish to arrive at agreements with its government, deals that will be in favor of Mexico and the Mexicans," he said.
As known, earlier in the day, Trump signed two executive orders directing the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, boosting border patrol forces and increasing the number of immigration enforcement officers who carry out deportations.
Trump tweeted that they should just skip their planned January 31 meeting at the White House.
"If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting," Trump tweeted and in an earlier tweet he noted the US trade deficit with Mexico and what he said were the American job losses caused by NAFTA.
On Wednesday night, Pena Nieto had said he did not see a need to cancel his trip, but reiterated that he wouldn't fund the wall.
"Mexico does not believe in walls. I've said time again; Mexico will not pay for any wall," he said in a video statement posted to Twitter and translated by CNN from Spanish.
The back and forth between the two leaders which began last year during the very first days of the Trump campaign when he called some Mexicans entering the US criminals and rapists and tensions lingered throughout the campaing. They escalated over the last 24 hours when Trump took executive action on Wednesday to begin the process of erecting a wall.
The President announced that move while a high-level Mexican delegation was visiting the White House -- the first foreign representatives to visit since Trump took office -- for meetings with top officials, including Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and adviser Jared Kushner.
Peña Nieto said he would wait for a final report from his top officials in Washington, and previous meetings with Mexican legislators, before deciding which steps he would take next.
Peña also said he had ordered government agencies to step up protection for immigrants.
"I've asked for the minister of Foreign Relations to re-enforce protection measures to our citizens," he said. He added that the 50
Mexican Consulates in the US will be used to defend the rights of immigrants in the country. He also issued a call to action to legislators and civil organizations to help immigrants.
Peña Nieto closed his message by saying that Mexico offers and expects respect.
"Mexico offers its friendship to the people of the United States and expresses its wish to arrive at agreements with its government, deals that will be in favor of Mexico and the Mexicans," he said.
As known, earlier in the day, Trump signed two executive orders directing the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, boosting border patrol forces and increasing the number of immigration enforcement officers who carry out deportations.
(rnz)
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