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When it comes to rebutting Donald Trump, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has been no Vicente Fox—fully 75% of Mexicans have disapproved of the way Peña Nieto has responded to Trump’s racist rhetoric and actions, according to the Los Angeles Times. But following Trump’s threats against Mexico over the so-called “caravan” of mostly Central American women and kids seeking asylum in Mexico and the U.S., Peña Nieto issued a direct response via Twitter, telling Trump that if he’s got a problem with U.S. immigration policy, to take it up with the U.S. Congress:
"President Trump: if you wish to reach agreements with Mexico, we stand ready, as we have proved until now, always willing to engage in a dialogue, acting in earnestness, in good faith and in a constructive spirit," he said. "If your recent statements are the result of frustration due to domestic policy issues, to your laws or to your Congress, it is to them that you should turn to, not to Mexicans. We will not allow negative rhetoric to define our actions. We will only act in the best interest of Mexicans."
Of course, Trump’s immigration “policy”—penned by ghoulish white supremacist and White House aide Stephen Miller—did make it to the floor of the U.S. Senate, where it was not only resoundingly rejected, but did the worst out of the four plans voted on that day. Peña Nieto’s response came after Mexican senators “approved a nonbinding statement Wednesday that says the government should suspend joint efforts ‘in the fight against transnational organized crime’ until Trump exhibits ‘civility and respect that the people of Mexico deserve’”:
The statement from the Mexican senators also rails against Trump for his "baseless and offensive comments about Mexico and Mexicans."
It calls for the U.S. Congress to demand that Trump treat Mexico with "respect" and opposes the move by Trump to deploy the National Guard to the country's southern border.
“Among interesting tidbits from EPN’s Trump response?” tweeted León Krauze. “Peña Nieto broke a cardinal rule of the bilateral relationship: Mexico's government never comments on American domestic policy. The fact that Peña Nieto referred to Trump's ‘frustration’ with legislative process is remarkable.” Peña Nieto continued: "Paraphrasing the words of a great President of the United States of America: we will have no fear to negotiate, but we will never negotiate out of fear. We stand ready to negotiate, certainly, but always based on mutual respect. Something that brings together and unites absolutely all Mexicans is our certainty that nothing and no one stands above the dignity of Mexico."