Politics & Government
Mexican President Cancels Meeting With President Trump
Trump himself had threatened in a Twitter post to cancel the meeting.
Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto cancelled his planned meeting with President Trump after the two disagreed over who would pay for Trump's proposed border wall on the United States' southern border.
Peña Nieto was under immense pressure to cancel the meeting from people in his country, who has just a 12 percent approval rating among Mexicans.
Peña Nieto made his announcement about not attending the meeting in a series of Twitter posts.
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"This morning we have informed the White House that I will not attend the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the @POTUS," Peña Nieto said in the tweets, which were in Spanish. "Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to achieve agreements in favour of both Nations."
Esta mañana hemos informado a la Casa Blanca que no asistiré a la reunión de trabajo programada para el próximo martes con el @POTUS.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
México reitera su voluntad de trabajar con los Estados Unidos para lograr acuerdos en favor de ambas naciones.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
Peña Nieto also released a video message to his country Wednesday night, reiterating his intention not to pay for Trump's border wall.
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“I have said time and time again, Mexico will not pay for any wall,” Peña Nieto said in the video message. “Mexico reaffirms its friendship with the people of the United States and its willingness to reach agreements with its government.”
Earlier Thursday morning, Trump had threatened to cancel their planned meeting if Peña Nieto did not agree to pay for the wall.
"The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico," Trump said on Twitter. "It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting."
The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017
of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017
Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to move forward his signature campaign promise of building a wall on the Mexican border.
"This is border security," Trump said in a speech to the Department of Homeland Security. "We've been talking about this from the beginning. This is going to bring it over the top. We are going to restore the rule of law in the United States.
"A nation without borders is not a nation. Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders."
Trump visited Peña Nieto in Mexico in August during the campaign. While Trump said the two did not discuss payment of the wall at that meeting, Peña Nieto said otherwise.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear," Peña Nieto tweeted after that August meeting, "that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
Images: Donald Trump via Rick Uldricks, Patch Staff; Enrique Peña Nieto via World Economic Forum, Flickr, used under Creative Commons
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