The Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico has labeled any Mexican companies that are even thinking of investing in Donald Trump’s wall of hate “traitors to the homeland”:
In a provocative editorial, the country's biggest Archdiocese sought to increase pressure on the government to take a tougher line on companies aiming to profit from the wall, which has strained relations between Trump and the Mexican government.
"Any company intending to invest in the wall of the fanatic Trump would be immoral, but above all, its shareholders and owners should be considered traitors to the homeland," said the editorial in Desde la fe, the Archdiocese's weekly publication.
On Tuesday, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo warned firms it would not be in their "interests" to participate in the wall. But the editorial accused the government of responding "tepidly" to those eyeing the project for business.
In a meeting with steel companies last week, the nation’s economy secretary warned that “Mexicans would judge and base future buying decisions on ‘which brands are loyal to the national identity, and which are not.’”
But the archdiocese warned in its editorial, titled "Treason against the Homeland,” that the government has still been responding too "tepidly” to companies that are considering working with a president who maligned an entire nation as criminals and “rapists."
A spokesman for the Archdiocese, which centers on Mexico City and is presided over by the country's foremost Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Norberto Rivera, said the editorial represented the views of the diocese.
The Desde la fe editorial, which was published online, said the barrier would only feed prejudice and discrimination.
"In practice, signing up for a project that is a serious affront to dignity is shooting yourself in the foot," it wrote. Mexican cement maker Cemex has said it is open to providing quotes to supply raw materials for the wall but will not take part in the bidding process to build it.
Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, another company specializing in construction materials, has also signaled readiness to work on the project.
The Catholic Church still wields enormous influence in both public and private life in Mexico, so this editorial could make a difference.
Some here in the U.S. might also be wondering why Mexican companies would still be considering colluding with the Trump regime after all of his lies and insults. Remember that for many businesses, it’s always about profits first—but not if the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico can help it.