A Trump Presidency Would Have Pressing Consequences for Mexico

All things considered, the consequences for Mexico in the American election are of paramount importance.

By Joy DiazNovember 7, 2016 1:02 pm

Presidential hopeful and self-described political outsider Donald Trump is causing a stir, not just on this side of the border, but in Mexico as well.

Following an August trip to Mexico, the candidate immediately made a policy speech in Arizona that hardened his position on immigration and promised the deportation of millions of Mexicans currently living without United States documentation.

Jorge Meléndez of Grupo Reforma, the largest newspaper chain in Mexico, says the border wall Trump promises to build across the American southern border is one thing, but the repercussions of Trump’s policy would go beyond just a wall.

“To me the wall is a symbol,” Meléndez says. “The real problem for Mexico is if Trump wins the presidency. It’s not really the wall – it’s the deportation plan Trump has planned.”

The logistical problems of a mass deportation alone would mark a major challenge, Meléndez says. To find and deport over two million Mexican Nationals from the United States wouldn’t be easy. But it could be argued the greatest impact would be felt across the border in Mexico.

“If those two million people come, they’ll have to create a lot of jobs,” Meléndez says. “President Peña Nieto has created 2.4 million jobs … in four years since he’s been president – and he’s really proud of it. Just imagine now if two million people come back in two years. That’s a huge problem for Mexico. Not only that but those two million potential people that come to Mexico are used to making good money compared to Mexico’s standard.”

To put it in perspective, remittances are a larger source of foreign currency for Mexico than oil exports, so losing that money from relatives in America would be a problem for Mexican families, Meléndez says.

All things considered, the consequences for Mexico in the American election are of paramount importance. Meléndez says the American decision will make a major impact on Mexican society.

Post by George Economos.