Mexico’s Minister of Economy has called Donald Trump “The Devil” in reference to his willingness to convince the GOP candidate to change course on NAFTA.
“If we have to speak with The Devil to guarantee the safety of the Mexican people, Mexico will speak with The Devil,” said Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal during an event for the Council of the Americas in New York.
Guajardo Villarreal was referring to Mexico bracing for a potential victory by Trump in the upcoming elections. One of Trump’s strongest messages has been the economic drain on the U.S. economy brought about by what the candidate has called “poorly negotiated trade deals.”
“We can not risk such an important bilateral accord,” the Mexican figure said referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Public officials from Peru, Colombia and Chile were present at the event but took a more conservative approach when referring to a potential win by Trump and its effects on the economy in Latin America.
The comments from Guajardo Villarreal come just weeks after Trump met with Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto at that country’s presidential mansion. In the aftermath of Trump’s visit, news outlets and other politicians criticized Peña Nieto by the way he was overshadowed by the Republican candidate.
Peña Nieto had also invited Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton for a meeting in Mexico, she declined.