MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s foreign relations secretary said Friday his country won’t react to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to close the U.S.-Mexico border, and its president even held a sort of impromptu poll on whether to respond.
Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard wrote on Twitter: “Mexico doesn’t act based on threats.” He also said the Spanish-speaking country is “the best neighbor” the U.S. could have, saying about 1.5 million U.S. citizens live in Mexico.
Trump has implied he might close the border between both nations because Mexico isn’t doing enough to stop an influx of migrants from Central America - prompting some Mexican commentators to demand a stronger U.S. response.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waved those calls aside on Friday at a public event in Veracruz state, asking his assembled supporters for their views.
“Should we really maintain good relations with the government of President Donald Trump?” he asked the crowd, which responded with shouts of “Yes!”
“Let’s see the hands of those who think that I should respond each time he refers to Mexico,” Lopez Obrador added. The response was silence.
“Let’s see the hands of those who think we should act with prudence,” he added, and supporters raised their hands.
“Look at the people. The people are wise,” Lopez Obrador said.
The Mexican government insists it is cooperating with efforts to restrict a wave of Central American migration and says immigration is caused by a lack of jobs, a problem which must be addressed through investment.
Ebrard tweeted earlier that it is “acting with responsibility and dignity on the migration issue.”
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