President Pena Nieto Needs an Overhaul of Mexican Foreign Policy Towards the US Miguel Guevara - Al Jazeera
go to original January 30, 2017

"Mexico and America haven't had a relationship this bad for over 100 years" Jorge Ramos claims (CNN/Sarah Burris)

Mexicans are not happy with Pena's approach. They are very proud of their heritage, their culture and its effect on the world, and see Pena's weakness in front of Trump as humiliating.

It is imperative that Pena listen to his people and stand up to Trump. It is time for the Mexican government to change its foreign policy towards the US and be bolder in its approach.

Pena must be clear that Mexico will not tolerate Trump's tantrums. If Trump decides to pursue his populistic policies, then Mexico must be ready to seek alternatives and a future of its own. In doing so, Mexico can lead with an example of how developing countries can break free from the chains that tie them to industrialised powers.

...Mexico must also vow not to deport any foreign citizens in Mexico en route to the US. Pena should immediately instruct all federal agencies to stop detention and deportations of the 120,000 Central Americans who cross Mexico annually trying to reach the US. The government should provide shelter and humanitarian aid to them and stop mistreatment.

Mexico should set an example for the rest of the Latin American countries to follow in facing an uncooperative US president and looking for foreign policy alternatives.

If they don't do so, Mexico and other Latin American countries risk becoming Trump's backyard and being continually humiliated. Relations with the US are not as valuable as national sovereignty and that should never be compromised on.

Read the rest at Al Jazeera

Related: Mexicans Mull Response to Trump: Let Migrants Through – or Boycott Starbucks? (The Guardian)

Related: So Close to Trump, so Far from God: LatAm Feels Mexico’s Pain (Bloomberg)

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