Mexico's Lopez Obrador blasts Trump's immigration policies at LA rally

[webfact]

Mexico's Lopez Obrador blasts Trump's immigration policies at LA rally

REUTERS

 

Mexican politician Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, (C), leader of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party greets supporters as he arrives for a meeting at Plaza Olivera in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 12, 2017. REUTERS/Ringo Chiu

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mexico's home-grown populist and presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rallied supporters in Los Angeles on Sunday, criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric and plans for a wall along the border.

 

Looking ahead to the presidential election next year, Lopez Obrador sought to tap widespread discontent with Mexico's ruling party and resentment toward the new U.S. president, while placing faith in Americans to resist Trump's policies.

 

"I think the wall and the demagoguery of patriotism are no match for the dignity and humanity of the American people," Lopez Obrador told the rally in Los Angeles.

 

Calling California "a refuge and blessing for immigrants," Lopez Obrador declared "Long live California" as hundreds of supporters at Plaza Olvera cheered.

 

"When they want to build a wall to segregate populations, or when the word 'foreigner' is used to insult, denigrate and discriminate against our fellow human beings, it goes against humanity, it goes against intelligence and against history," the veteran politician added.

 

His visit to Los Angeles came as thousands of people took to the streets in cities across Mexico to protest against Trump.

 

Three weeks into his administration, Trump has vowed to move ahead with construction of a wall on the border, repeatedly insisting that Mexico would pay for it, while also signaling a new push to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants out of the United States.

 

"If the Mexican government does not put before the United Nations in the coming days a complaint about the violation of human rights, then we will do it ourselves," Lopez Obrador said.

 

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Trump have been at loggerheads over the stance Trump first took against Mexico while campaigning for the U.S. presidency last year.

 

Mexico fears Trump's protectionist stance on trade and anti-immigration policy could put Latin America's second biggest economy in crisis.

 

(Reporting by Omas Younis, editing by Chris Michaud and Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-13

 

[Mrjlh]

Why doesn't Senior Obrador go fix Mexico first!  As we all know Thailand takes care of its own first so why can't America? Why is America any different?  And if Mexico would jump in and fix their problems we wouldn't need any walls.

[Dagnabbit]

2 minutes ago, Mrjlh said:

Why doesn't Senior Obrador go fix Mexico first!  As we all know Thailand takes care of its own first so why can't America? Why is America any different?  And if Mexico would jump in and fix their problems we wouldn't need any walls.

Perhaps because Mexico is totally corrupt and run by drug cartels.

 

Talk about people in glass houses...

[Hayduke]

This is great. A candidate for the Mexican presidency gives a speech condemning US immigration policies…in a campaign visit...to Los Angeles, California, USA.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Hayduke

[mtls2005]

Interesting that Trump can take advantage of the H2-B Visa program to staff his Mar-a-Lago resort? I guess he's a "smart" businessman?

 

Trump again hires foreign workers for Mar-a-Lago — little change in pay

 

PALM BEACH —

President-elect Donald Trump is driving a hard bargain for the foreign workers who will staff The Mar-a-Lago Club this winter.

 

He’s paying some of them less than they made this past year, and most get just a 1 percent raise.

 

As the presidential campaign heated up, Trump won approval to hire 64 foreign workers through the federal government’s H-2B visa program, according to newly released data from the U.S. Labor Department. This past year, Trump was allowed to hire 69 foreign workers at Mar-a-Lago.

 

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/business/trump-again-hires-foreign-workers-for-mar-lago-little-change-pay/NtHozFcFMZXQWVkErxSdhM/

 

 

 

Donald Trump and the curious case of contrarian hiring patterns at Mar-a-Lago

 

In recent years, U.S. employers have followed a predictable pattern in hiring foreign workers. In the 2008-09 fiscal year, just as the financial crash began, they hired more than 200,000 workers through the federal H-2B visa program. Those numbers crashed with the economy, then rebounded.

 

The ever-unpredictable Donald Trump has bucked the trend. From the 2008-09 fiscal year through 2014-15, he never received approval for fewer than 84 H-2B visas at The Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach.

 

But last year, he got the OK for just 69 foreign workers. And this year, the number falls further to 64. Explore the stats here:

 

http://realtime.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2016/12/13/donald-trump-and-the-curious-case-of-contrarian-hiring-patterns-at-mar-a-lago/

 

 

 

[55Jay]

Should of rolled up in a Border Patrol SUV, and watch that crowd scatter like cockroaches.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

Again another Mexican politicians who wants to use the word "immigrant" when actually talking about "illegal immigrants". AFAIK the Americans are simple enforcing existing immigration laws and upping actions in catching and dealing with illegal immigrants aka criminals. Many who have been illegally in the US for considerable time.

 

But of course he's appealing to PC Liberals who believe only the laws they approve of must be enforced.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, Hayduke said:

This is great. A candidate for the Mexican presidency gives a speech condemning US immigration policies…in a campaign visit...to Los Angeles, California, USA.

It's not uncommon for leaders and candidates to visit large communities of their nationals abroad. 

 

When talking about the Mexico - USA situation, it's a specifically unique one. Considering the history of the region, the fact that large portions of the USA used to be Mexico, and considering the massive size of the economic and social relationship between the two nations. 

 

The political reality remains that the vast majority of Americans are not in favor of a hard core crackdown on undocumented Latinos that breaks up families and disrupts labor markets. The consensus is for border security, deporting violent criminals, programs that allow for legal guest workers, and difficult paths towards citizenship even for those that entered illegally. More McCain than trump. 

Edited February 14, 2017 by Jingthing

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, Hayduke said:

This is great. A candidate for the Mexican presidency gives a speech condemning US immigration policies…in a campaign visit...to Los Angeles, California, USA.

Easy revoke his visa. 

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Easy revoke his visa. 

That would be a moronic diplomatic move for someone that might be the president of such an important neighbor and trading partner. 

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

That would be a moronic diplomatic move for someone that might be the president of such an important neighbor and trading partner. 

Yes Trump is off to a really good start with Mexico. Building a wall between you and your neighbor and giving the current president a rough time on the phone. I get your point.