Former Mexican President Vicente Fox: Trump Is ‘Absolutely’ a Racist
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox says Donald Trump believes in a "supreme white race, and all brown [people] and Afro-Americans and everybody else is insignificant to him."
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto vowed earlier this week not to speak Trump’s name. But one of his predecessors, Vicente Fox, isn’t following the same rules, and has delivered perhaps the harshest rhetoric to date from a foreign leader toward the 2016 GOP presidential front-runner.
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto vowed earlier this week not to speak Trump’s name. But one of his predecessors, Vicente Fox, isn’t following the same rules, and has delivered perhaps the harshest rhetoric to date from a foreign leader toward the 2016 GOP presidential front-runner.
According to a transcript of an interview with Al Jazeera English’s “Upfront,” set to air later Friday, Fox said Trump is “absolutely” a racist who believes in a “supreme white race, and all brown [people] and Afro-Americans and everybody else is insignificant to him.” He added Trump’s “discriminatory speech is creating violence” in the United States.
Fox, who was Mexico’s president from 2000 to 2006, has emerged as the most outspoken foreign critic of Trump, even though it’s rare for former or current world leaders to get involved in U.S. presidential politics. Trump has proven to be an exception to this rule: Fox has been joined by fellow former Mexican President Felipe Calderón and British Prime Minister David Cameron in condemning Trump. Pope Francis has also suggested Trump is “not Christian” because of his extremist views on immigration.
But it’s Fox who has been the most outspoken. In response to Trump’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep illegal immigrants out — a project he’s vowed to make Mexico pay for — Fox said last month the Mexican government is ”not going to pay for that f—–g wall.” Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray said earlier this week that “Mexico will under no circumstance pay for the wall that Mr. Trump is proposing.”
Fox’s Al Jazeera interview heaped additional scorn on Trump, whom he said would lead the U.S. “to the desert, to hunger,” if elected.
Fox also attacked Trump’s business record. He said the billionaire businessman’s “economic knowledge is very poor” and that he was only able to succeed because he inherited wealth from his family. He also blasted Trump’s plan to tax goods produced in Mexico and shipped to the United States.
“It’s very stupid what he is saying,” Fox said.
Trump, for his part, told a crowd in Michigan on Friday morning that Fox “should apologize to the people of Mexico and the people of the United States. We are calling on him to apologize!”
“They’re used to getting their way 100 percent. They’re not getting their way anymore,” Trump said of Mexico.
Photo Credit: Alfredo Estrella/Getty Images
More from Foreign Policy
Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?
The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.
Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World
It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.
It’s a New Great Game. Again.
Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing
The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
