The greenback traded at 18.29 pesos late Tuesday in NY.
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The government “commits mistake after mistake after mistake and doesn’t consult people who know about these things, so they invite someone (Trump) at a completely inadequate time”, said Jesus Velasco, a specialist on US-Mexico relations at Tarleton State University in Texas.
Pena Nieto was widely pilloried for hosting Trump at short notice last Wednesday after the NY businessman had underpinned much of his campaign on building a border wall that he said Mexico would pay for to stem illegal immigration.
Pena Nieto, who was criticized for not challenging Trump at the joint press conference, later said that he had told the Republican candidate that his government would not pay for the wall.
Videgaray acted as Pena Nieto’s campaign manager during his 2012 election campaign, and has been seen as the architect of numerous administration’s policies.
He had called Mexican migrants “criminals” and “rapists”.
A poll by Reforma newspaper last month showed Pena Nieto’s popularity plunged to 23 percent, the lowest for any president in two decades.
However, “it is up to the government to tighten its belt, without affecting the people”, said Pena Nieto, adding “there will be no new taxes nor increases to existing ones”.
Treasury ministry spokeswoman Claudia Algorri said that Videgaray presented his resignation to Pena Nieto on Wednesday.
“While there may be important differences, the neighborhood with the USA, friendship, our business relationship, among many other reasons, require us to have a dialogue”, said Videgaray a day after the controversial meeting.
It also reignited debate between Trump and Peña Nieto over the funding of Trump’s proposed wall along the U.S. -Mexico border. Pena Nieto has said the meeting was needed to build bridges in case Trump is elected.
Pena Nieto said that the low-key Meade, who is also seen by some as a possible 2018 candidate for the PRI, would have to get to work immediately, with the 2017 budget proposal due to be announced Thursday.
That same contractor had sold a mansion to Pena Nieto’s wife, former soap opera star Angelica Rivera, raising questions of conflicts of interest. His remarks led President Pena Nieto to compare the American to Italian fascist leader Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler.
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Although the scandal is hurting Pena Nieto, Wilson said, ultimately, what matters to Mexicans is “kitchen table” issues such as the economy, public security and fighting corruption.
