Trump goes to Mexico

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Isn't the President of Mexico deeply unpopular and corrupt?

He is both.

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I am reading from some people that this meeting is deeply unpopular with the Mexicans.

You bet.

Hopefully, Trump takes the helicopter from and to the airport. Otherwise, we might get some pretty ugly protests along the route.

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Mexican politicians follow one another in declaring their opposition to the visit. The latest is Ricardo Anaya, leader of PAN. "In which head did it get to invite Trump? We Mexicans have memory and dignity. Donald Trump is not welcome in Mexico".

Trump is late. The meeting was initially scheduled for 2:30 PM, but has already been moved to 3 PM.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Are you Mexican?

You are new to this forum, are you?

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How presidential of him! If he ever becomes president, I can't wait for him to ignore his advisors and do whatever the hell he wants!

They said there was no way to get proper security logistics done in such a sort time.

He will have to move around by helicopter. No way he can be driven through the city.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Are you Mexican?

You are new to this forum, are you?

You live in Mexico, but you are ..?

No hay mexicanos de segunda. Of course, I am.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Unless he absolutely demolishes Trump today, I agree. EPN may be using this as a cynical ploy to get support by unleashing on Trump.

I doubt. He is too... should I say, "limited-minded" for that. Do not expect much from Enrique Peña Nieto. His only talent is personal charm, and that is what he is going to deploy, alas.

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The slogan for today´s anti-Trump protest at the Angel: ¡Que Peña Trump!

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Are you Mexican?

You are new to this forum, are you?

You live in Mexico, but you are ..?

No hay mexicanos de segunda. Of course, I am.

Isn't PAN the party of the right in Mexico, or do I have it backwards?

Yes, of course. But on Trump it does not matter. Remember: it is a rightwing Mexican Catholic party.  Whatever their thoughts on the economy, they are still Mexicans and Catholics. Hence, like the rest of us, they hate Trump.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Unless he absolutely demolishes Trump today, I agree. EPN may be using this as a cynical ploy to get support by unleashing on Trump.

I doubt. He is too... should I say, "limited-minded" for that. Do not expect much from Enrique Peña Nieto. His only talent is personal charm, and that is what he is going to deploy, alas.

Well then why the hell is he doing this?

Because, alas, he is an idiot.

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Frankly, as a PANista supporter, I do not mind this too much: the 2018 PRI candidate will have to do some unpleasant explaining, and I cannot say that I am very upset about that.

Unless he absolutely demolishes Trump today, I agree. EPN may be using this as a cynical ploy to get support by unleashing on Trump.

I doubt. He is too... should I say, "limited-minded" for that. Do not expect much from Enrique Peña Nieto. His only talent is personal charm, and that is what he is going to deploy, alas.

Well then why the hell is he doing this?

Because, alas, he is an idiot.

Of course, but even idiots have their reasoning.

To quote myself:

......One scenario would be that Pena Nieto offers concessions to the US for NOT building the wall, allowing Trump to introduce a softer immigration approach. It would allow Pena Nieto to show Mexicans how he can handle potential crisis, while Trump could demonstrate to US voters how his rhetoric brings results.

Peña Nieto has run his last campaign. He is out. The only question is, if he can impose a successor for PRI nomination - most people think he cannot. His ability to control the party is shaky. His own faction in the party is widely viewed as indecently corrupt even by the party insiders. The party has lost a bunch of states in a run-of-the-mill off-year election, including the states it had never lost and should never have lost (in several cases due to lack of cooperation between factions). Peña Nieto himself is in the middle of several nasty corruption scandals. So, he is the lamest of lame ducks. Even if he wanted to offer anything, he would have hard time passing it. He does not think in strategic terms at this point (even if he ever did, which is doubtful). His thought process was much simpler. I would say, it was roughly like this:

Whoever wins the US elections, Mexican government would have to deal with. More things have been said than is prudent. It is definitely not very prudent to insert ourselves into US politics - even if Trump loses now, you do not want to make it appear Mexico supports the Dems. So, an empty jesture of neutrality: polite letter to both candidates - is a nice thing to do. He never expected Trump to take it. He has no clue what to talk about. I guess, they will talk about the weather.

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Judging by the tenor of today´s lunchtime conversation, we are rapidly moving into impeachment levels of support of Peña. And this is, literally, days before the State of the Union. The guy is an imbecile.

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Any idea when this dumpster fire is happening?

Now. The SOB is in the helicopter.

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PRD has demanded Trump is deported. PAN is moving in the Senate to block the meeting - too late, unfortunately.

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City Council has declared Trump "persona non grata". Alas, it is purely symbolic in this case.

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Campaign official tells NBC's @alivitali Trump and Nieto will make a joint statement, there will be NO questions.

Peña Nieto cannot even face the press now without Trump on his side. I am afraid, the only thing Mexican press would be interested in inquiring at this point, is Peña´s effective resignation date.

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PRI in the Senate is now on record supporting the "invitation". This is political suicide.

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Judging by the tenor of today´s lunchtime conversation, we are rapidly moving into impeachment levels of support of Peña. And this is, literally, days before the State of the Union. The guy is an imbecile.

Is your president really this stupid?

Well, that he is stupid is not a news. But, yeah, this beats expectations. Apparently, though, he is.

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The first page of El Universal has links to multiple stories and commentary, with the word "vergüenza" figuring prominently, as you might imagine. 

No real news yet, other than a short helicopter flight and some people holding up protest signs, as well as a piece that says that the PRI supports the decision to receive Trump, if I'm reading it right. 

Yep. Though if you go to the article, it is just one PRI senator, who also says that there will be a meeting with Clinton. None of the heavyweights are saying anything. I am certain, they are in shock.

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Treasury Secretary is supporting the president. Mind it: that this is a news tells you quite a bit.

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Headline in El Milenio: Peña votes for Trump.

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Could this possibly end up positively for Pena Nieto? What can he do to achieve that?

No.

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must be exciting.  are you in the streets now, or can you see anything from your windows?

I'm vaguely familiar with the neighborhood, and have stayed in several hotels downtown.  Is the president's residence near your offices?

edit:  I just looked it up and learned that Los Pinos is in Chapultepec Park.  I've been there too.  As I recall, it wouldn't be visible from any offices.  You should go down to the streets and see if there are any radical protesters.  First-hand reporting is always better than what gets filtered through newspapers.

I spend my life in the far southern reaches of the city. Far too far.

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Could this possibly end up positively for Pena Nieto? What can he do to achieve that?

I think it is good for US-Mexico relations.

Horrid, in fact. If Clinton wins, Peña has made himself an enemy of the US president. If Trump wins, relations will be extra-toxic in any case. There is no upside whatsoever.