Mexican finance minister resigns after Trump’s visit

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY (AA) – Finance Minister Luis Videgaray, one of President Enrique Pena Nieto closest aides, resigned Wednesday after being criticized for helping to organize Donald Trump’s visit to Mexico last week.

The president said in a news conference that he accepted Videgaray’s resignation, whom he considers as a “ committed partner”.

Pena Nieto ignited strong protest when he hosted the Republican presidential candidate Aug. 31 at the official presidential residence in Los Pinos.

Thousands of Mexicans expressed their anger on social media and in the streets at the decision to invite Trump who disparaged Mexican migrants as “rapist” and “drug traffickers” during his presidential campaign. He also said he would build a wall on the U.S.’s southern border prevent Mexicans from entering the country and force Mexico to pay for it.

"We had to show to Donald Trump how important economic links with Mexico are important for the United States’’ Pena Nieto wrote in an open letter shortly after his meeting with Trump, in an effort to justify the invitation.

Immediately after the meeting, Trump returned to the U.S. and told supported: “Mexico doesn’t know it yet, but they will pay for the wall”.

Senior diplomats told Mexican media that Videgaray suggested and arranged the meeting between Pena Nieto and Trump.

Videgaray had been considered a favorite to become the next presidential candidate for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Jose Antonio Meade has been named new finance minister. Meade had been leading the ministry of social development.