Editor’s Note: This is the ninth in a series of nine stories surrounding current events of different cultures at Niles West as a part of International Week.
While there have been a lot of citizen-led protests and events here in the United States, there have also many similar protests led in Mexico regarding Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration. The citizens of Mexico have come together to support Hispanics living in the U.S. by holding anti-Donald Trump demonstrations in 18 different cities throughout Mexico.
In Mexico City, 11,000 people marched with signs reading “Twitler” and “Stop Trump.” While many protesting wanted to show their support for Mexican immigrants, some also argued that the protest was simply intended to criticize Trump.
“It is a very amazing feeling when you see all the support you are getting from Hispanics in a whole other state,” sophomore Lesly Melendez said. “It shows us Hispanics here in the United States all the support and love we have backing us up.”
After Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a planned meeting with Trump last January over the debate surrounding Trump’s proposed border wall, the two presidents shared an hour long phone call in late January. After the initial face-to-face meeting was cancelled, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer proposed different ways the wall may be paid for, including initiating a 20% tax on all Mexican imports.
“By doing it that way we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” Spicer said, referring to the proposed tax.
Meanwhile, former Mexican president Vicente Fox has not been quiet with his opposition to a border wall, as evidenced by a series of his tweets on the subject.
“Trump may ask whoever he wants, but still neither myself nor Mexico are going to pay for his racist monument,” Fox tweeted in early January.
“TRUMP, when will you understand that I am not paying for that f***en wall. Be clear with US tax payers. They will pay for it,” a tweet from Jan. 6 said.
Fox’s vocal opposition to Trump’s has increased his popularity with many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans.
“I am glad that the former president is not holding back and standing up for whats right before it becomes too late,” junior Teresa Chavez said.
The United States and Mexico have still have not reached a final decision on plans and payment for the proposed border wall.
