Oscar-winning filmmaker slams Mexican president for inviting Donald Trump
WION
Los Angeles, CA, United StatesUpdated: Sep 03, 2016, 04:35 PM IST
'It lacks dignity and in turn strengthens a political campaign of hatred toward us, toward half of humanity, and toward the most vulnerable minorities on the planet. It jeopardises the future and the lives of 16 million Mexicans,' Innaritu said. Photograph:(Getty)
Follow UsOscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro Innaritu has slammed Mexican President Pena Nieto for inviting Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, to visit the country.
In an opinion piece for El Pais, the Mexican-born director said that inviting Trump, who visited the country on Wednesday, was "a betrayal", reported Entertainment Weekly.
"It endorses and validates someone who has insulted us, spat on us, and threatened us for more than a year before the entire world. It shows a lack of dignity that strengthens a hateful political campaign against us, against half of humanity and against the most vulnerable minorities on the planet.
"It lacks dignity and in turn strengthens a political campaign of hatred toward us, toward half of humanity, and toward the most vulnerable minorities on the planet. It jeopardizes the future and the lives of 16 million Mexicans," the "Birdman" helmer wrote.
Trump received backlash last summer for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and criminals in his speech announcing he was running for president.
"The US has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists," he said.
Trump had earlier said he would build a wall on the Mexican border in order to curb illegal immigration.
After his meeting with the Mexican president, Trump said he would "build a great wall along the southern border" if he came to power and that Mexico would pay for it.
He said, “Mexico will pay for the wall, 100 per cent. They don't know it yet but they are going to pay for the wall.”
The statement came some time after Mexican President Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting that Mexico would not incur the costs of building the wall.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto had said in a tweet.
(WION with inputs from agencies)
In an opinion piece for El Pais, the Mexican-born director said that inviting Trump, who visited the country on Wednesday, was "a betrayal", reported Entertainment Weekly.
"It endorses and validates someone who has insulted us, spat on us, and threatened us for more than a year before the entire world. It shows a lack of dignity that strengthens a hateful political campaign against us, against half of humanity and against the most vulnerable minorities on the planet.
"It lacks dignity and in turn strengthens a political campaign of hatred toward us, toward half of humanity, and toward the most vulnerable minorities on the planet. It jeopardizes the future and the lives of 16 million Mexicans," the "Birdman" helmer wrote.
Trump received backlash last summer for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and criminals in his speech announcing he was running for president.
"The US has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists," he said.
Trump had earlier said he would build a wall on the Mexican border in order to curb illegal immigration.
After his meeting with the Mexican president, Trump said he would "build a great wall along the southern border" if he came to power and that Mexico would pay for it.
He said, “Mexico will pay for the wall, 100 per cent. They don't know it yet but they are going to pay for the wall.”
The statement came some time after Mexican President Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting that Mexico would not incur the costs of building the wall.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto had said in a tweet.
(WION with inputs from agencies)