Interviewed during an Independence Day party hosted by the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Consul General Susan Abeyta said she “cannot share the opinions” of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump about Mexican immigrants.
“My family has relatives here in Mexico. My daughter and husband share common roots with Mexicans,” she said. “It’s important that both countries understand and appreciate each other. We have a dynamic relationship and must preserve it.”
Meanwhile, Mexican broadcaster Televisa has followed the lead of Univision and NBC in the United States and decided not to show the annual Miss Universe or Miss USA pageants.
The company said the decision was taken in the light of the “disrespectful” remarks about Mexican immigrants made by Donald Trump during his announcement that he was running for president of the United States.
Lupita Jones, a former Miss Universe who runs Mexico’s selection process for the pageant, said Trump’s comments did “great harm” to the organization. She said Mexico would not be sending a contestant to the next competition in January 2016.
Trump, who owns the Miss Universe pageant, had described Mexican immigrants as “rapists” who bring “drugs” and “crime” to the United States.
His comments kicked off a huge backlash both north and south of the border, although the subsequent media attention seems to have helped his presidential campaign prospects. Most polls of Republican hopefuls have Trump running second to Jeb Bush.
One by one, major businesses have been distancing themselves from Trump. Mega retailer Macy’s announced it would be phasing out the Trump menswear collection, which it has sold since 2004. Ora TV, co-founded by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and TV personality Larry King, canceled a program it was working on with some of Trump’s companies.
Cheryl Burke and Thomas Roberts, who were set to host the Miss USA pageant on July 12 in Baton Rouge, also stepped down following Trump’s statements and the pull out by NBC. Trump vowed next week’s pageant would go ahead despite NBC’s decision not to broadcast the show.
Trump also confirmed that he has filed paperwork for a US$500 million lawsuit against Univision.
While Trump this week claimed that he “loved Mexico,” he followed up on his polemic comments on immigrants, citing a report that claims 80 percent of women and girls from Central America traveling to the United States in search of a new life are raped during their journey.