The Trump re-election campaign didn’t waste time making use of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s mystifying declaration that his U.S. counterpart has acted “kindly” toward his compatriots: “Actually Joe [Biden], while you’ve spent decades making empty promises to Hispanics, President Trump has actually delivered for our community.
That’s why President López Obrador said today that @realDonaldTrump has treated Mexicans with ‘understanding’ and ‘respect.’” (@EquipoTrump)
Exactly how much influence this week’s piece of diplomatic theater that played out at the White House will have on the Hispanic vote in November is debatable. Understandably, U.S. Democrats will be unimpressed by the Mexican president’s love-in with a man who has repeatedly threatened its neighbor with border closures and punitive tariffs, and reportedly wanted to greet migrants with rivers filled with snakes and crocodiles. “Neither ‘kindness,’ ‘understanding’ or ‘respect’ has Trump shown to Mexican immigrants, whom he called ‘rapists,’” commented news anchor Jorge Ramos. “Nothing in his speech about threatened Dreamers, Mexican students about to lose their visas, Trump’s wall or refugees forced to remain in Mexico.”
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.