Mexican Government Changes Diplomats to Counter Trump’s ‘Hostile’ Message

The Mexican government has begun to circle the wagons as the possibility of a Trump presidency begins to take shape. This week, Mexico changed key members of it’s diplomatic team in order to “remain firm” amid what they are calling a “hostile” environment.

These comments were made Wednesday afternoon by Mexico’s Foreign Relations Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu during a meeting with various members of that country’s senate, Mexico’s La Jornada reported. During that meeting, Ruiz Massieu spoke about the most significant change, the recent replacement of Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Miguel Basanez by Carlos Sada Solana. The change was a sudden one since Basanez had only served as ambassador for seven months before he was replaced.

In addition to replacing Mexico’s ambassador, the goverment is expected to change various consuls and other members of its diplomatic team in the coming days in what they are calling a “change in strategy.”

Citing an “increase in hostilities” by U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, Riuz Massieu said Mexico needed for its foreign policies to be more intense and strategic.

Mexico’s reaction comes in an apparent response to a newly revealed strategy by Donald Trump, who as Breitbart News reported,  released his plan to force Mexico to pay for a proposed border wall. The plan calls for Mexico to make a one time payment of $5-10 billion or he would use the U.S. Patriot Act to cut off remittances or money transfers sent to Mexico. 

Trump’s hard stance against illegal immigration, drug cartels and transnational crime has earned him increasing popularity and the recent endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council, the union that represents close to 17,000 men and women that make up the U.S. Border Patrol, Breitbart Texas recently reported.  His hard stance on border issues has also made him a target for left of center news outlets.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.