Mexican President: 'We will not pay for the border wall'

Immediately after new US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build a wall along the Mexican border, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced that his country would not pay for the border wall.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto at a press conference in Mexico City, January 23, 201. Photo: AP

According to BBC, in a message to the nation on January 26 (Vietnam time), Mr. Enrique Pena Nieto affirmed that they will not pay for 'Mr. Trump's wall'.

He said he was disappointed with the US's plans to build a border wall, adding that 'Mexico does not believe these walls' would help solve the immigration problem.

However, Mr. Enrique Pena Nieto did not mention canceling or postponing his visit to Washington on January 31 to meet Mr. Trump, although some sources said he might cancel the visit.

According to VNA, immediately after the new US president signed an executive order to build a wall along the border, lawmakers from many political parties, including the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), asked President Nieto to postpone or cancel his visit to the US.

They also criticized Mr. Trump's decision as "unacceptable," "an inhumane act" and that Mexico needed to bring the issue to the United Nations.

Previously on January 25 (local time), Mr. Trump signed an executive order to build a wall along the Mexican border and affirmed that Mexico will pay for the wall.

Building a wall about 3,220km long along the border with Mexico was one of Mr. Trump's key proposals during the election campaign, with a cost he estimated at about 8 billion USD and Mexico would have to pay for this construction.

He also pledged to force cities along the southern border that house illegal immigrants to cooperate with authorities to deport them.

According to VNE