海角大神

Mexico鈥檚 least popular president in nearly two decades met with one of Mexicans鈥� least-loved US presidential candidates today, a last-minute gathering that took many by surprise.

The official meeting between President Enrique Pe帽a Nieto and US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, announced overnight, follows months of insults hurled by Mr. Trump toward Mexico and Mexicans.

President Pe帽a Nieto, who earlier this year likened Trump鈥檚 rhetoric to that of Adolf Hitler, extended an invitation last Friday to both Republican and Democratic US presidential candidates.

Although there are plenty of reasons why a sitting president would want to set the scene for cordial relations with the potential next president of the United States, many here don鈥檛 approve.

"Trump's a [jackass]," says Arnoldo Martinez 鈥� using a more insulting term to describe the Republican candidate 鈥� as he swept the sidewalk outside a cafe in Mexico City. "But Pe帽a Nieto is an even bigger one for bringing him down here."

Another city resident, Noe, working at his wife's clothing stall at a market in the city, said he's "surprised [Trump] wants to risk his life among all the rapists and drug traffickers by coming to Mexico,鈥� a reference to some of Trump鈥檚 comments about the country's people.

The right move for Pe帽a Nieto?

The timing of the visit, which The Washington Post reports was quickly arranged by Trump鈥檚 camp following last week鈥檚 invitation, may not be ideal for Pe帽a Nieto.

He鈥檚 scheduled to deliver his fourth national address, akin to the State of the Union, tomorrow. Already he鈥檚 facing record low public support, with roughly 23 percent approval. He鈥檚 embroiled in yet another personal scandal, accused of plagiarizing his law school dissertation, and is trying to put out fires related to larger corruption allegations involving federal police involvement in extrajudicial killings and ongoing teacher protests.

Inviting Trump, who received 2 percent approval in a June poll by daily El Financiero asking who Mexicans would prefer as the next US president, may only pull him down further in the public eye.

鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 not the best timing, but it鈥檚 something [Pe帽a Nieto] couldn鈥檛 reject,鈥� says Alejandro Schtulmann, head of research for Emerging Markets Political Risk Analysis, a consultancy in Mexico City. 鈥淭he Mexican government has been saying all along that it will work with whoever gets elected in the US, regardless of policy issues."

And he adds that the short-term public anger that Pe帽a Nieto might be subject to is dwarfed by the need to retain positive relations with the US. "A lot of people are upset and asking 鈥榟ow can he do this,鈥� but politically it鈥檚 the right thing to do,鈥� Mr. Schtulmann says. 鈥淵ou never know what will happen in the end, so it鈥檚 better to leave an open door rather than close the possibility of negotiations鈥�.

And the very fact that the meeting is happening in Mexico changes everything,鈥� he adds, calling it a 鈥渟ign of humility from Trump.鈥�

'Maybe he鈥檒l leave with a different view'

Social media users don鈥檛 appear to see the same silver lining. Facebook and Twitter are overflowing with tongue-in-cheek memes related to Trump鈥檚 visit Wednesday, many using the hashtag #SrTrumpConTodoRespeto, or 鈥淢r. Trump, with all due respect.鈥� Some, including former President Vicente Fox, who has tangled with Trump over social media in the past, are voicing the need for Trump to apologize to Mexicans during his visit. (Trump said in a news conference afterward that his visit to Mexico City was a "great honor.")

"Trump is using Mexico, is using President Pe帽a to push his sinking poll numbers," Mr. Fox told CNN today.

Anti-Trump protesters gathered at the iconic Angel of Independence plaza today, holding signs that read "Go Home Trump - and take Pe帽a with you" and "You're just another brick in the wall." The politicians held a brief press conference following their closed-door meeting.

鈥淲henever something big like this happens in our country, it鈥檚 usually meant to distract [the public] from something bigger happening at home,鈥� says college student and bakery employee Yackelina, who only found out about Trump鈥檚 visit today after this reporter inquired.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand why he was invited or why he is coming, but I hope at the very least that something good comes out of it,鈥� she says, sipping a yogurt drink. 鈥淚f he becomes president and tries to follow through on all of the crazy things he鈥檚 said, it鈥檚 better to start talking now. Maybe he鈥檒l leave with a different view of Mexico.鈥澛�