Trump's election puts Mexico on edge, ready to respond to campaign threats
MEXICO CITY -- In one working class Mexico City neighborhood, some residents fear the effects of a Donald Trump administration.
“Mexico’s economy is so tied to the U.S.,” said Sonia Diaz.
Adrian Adame’s take was stronger.
“He is racist. He just talks about hating people,” Adame said.
Aside from insulting national pride, Trump has threatened to tear up NAFTA, the trade agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, possibly putting millions of jobs at risk.
Trump has also vowed to build a giant border wall and make Mexico pay for it.
“We are in the business of eliminating barriers,” said Claudia Ruiz Massieu, Mexico’s foreign minister.
“That’s why we would not consider paying for any wall that puts barriers between our integration and competitiveness,” she said.
Massieu said that if the Trump administration pus up a fight, Mexico will respond.
“Mexico is ready to protect our people, to protect our interests, but we are also ready to work with the next American administration,” she said.
Mexican Sen. Armando Rios Piter isn’t taking any chances. He has drafted a law that would stop Mexico from using public funds to pay for a border wall.
He also said Mexico could retaliate by revising security agreements with the U.S.
“Sharing information, the way our visas are functioning right now, have a lot to do with the decisions that have been taken in terms of protecting the United States, no?” Piter said.
When told that sounded like a threat, he replied “No, the threat is what Trump is doing.”