Mexico wall: Trump condemned over imports tax proposal

Mexico has condemned a US suggestion that it may 
impose a 20% tax on Mexican imports to pay for
 President Donald Trump's planned border wall.

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said such tax would 
make Mexican imports more expensive for US 
consumers  and they would end up paying for the wall.

The Mexican president earlier cancelled a visit to the 
US amid the row of who would pay for the barrier.

The planned wall was one of Mr Trump's key
 election campaign pledges.

Earlier this week, the president signed an executive 
order to create a wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200km)
 US-Mexico border.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Videgaray said: "A tax on
 Mexican imports to the United States is not a way
 to make Mexico pay for the wall, but to a way make 
the North American consumer pay for it through more expensive avocados, washing machines, televisions.''

He also stressed that paying for Mr Trump's wall
 "is not negotiable" for Mexico.

Earlier on Thursday, White House spokesman Sean 
Spicer said a 20% tax could generate approximately 
$10bn (£8bn) in tax revenue per year.

"Right now our country's policy is to tax exports and
 let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous", he said, 
adding that the tax will "easily pay for the wall".

But Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff, later
 said that the border tax is only one of several options 
being considered.


President Enrique Pena Nieto would have been perceived 
as very weak if he had travelled to Washington for talks
 and for many here it would have been tantamount to accepting Mr Trump's central claim - that Mexico will 
pay for the US border wall.

If that is not up front, then it may come eventually -
 perhaps under the latest proposal being floated by 
Donald Trump's White House, a massive 20% border
 tax on Mexican imports.

As Mexico exports some $300bn of goods a year to
 the US, the impact of such a proposal would be felt 
across the country.

Furthermore, the idea of funding a wall through a new
 tariff is simply unacceptable to most ordinary Mexicans
 who view the wall as unnecessary, inhumane, expensive
 and ineffective.

As their elected leader, at least for the next 18 months, Enrique Pena Nieto was left with little option but to deliver
 that message to the White House - by not going there in person.

The rift between the neighbours and trade partners has depends just days into Mr Trump's presidency.

After Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto pulled out
 of next week's summit, Mr Trump said the meeting 
would have been "fruitless" if Mexico didn't treat the US 
"with respect" and pay for the wall.

Earlier Mr Pena Nieto said he "lamented" the plans for
 the barrier.

In a televised address, the Mexican leader told the nation: 
"I've said time and again: Mexico won't pay for any wall."

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned that US consumers may wind up bearing the cost of the 
proposes  tax.

"Any tariff we can levy they can levy. Huge barrier
 to economy growth", he wrote online.

"Build that wall" was one of Mr Trump's campaign
 rally slogans.

Mr Trump's executive orders also called for hiring
 10,000
immigration officials to help boost border patrol efforts.

"A nation without borders is not a nation," Mr Trump 
said. "Beginning today the United States gets back
 control of its borders."

In other developments:

UK Prime Minister Theresa May addressed a group of
Republican Congressmen ahead of talks with 
President Trump on Friday. She called for an end to
foreign intervention overseas to "remake the world in  
our own image" 

Chief White House strategist Stephen 
Bannon said that the media should "keep its mouth 
shut and just listen for a while" and that he views the 
press as "the opposition party"

The White House is planning additional executive
 actions in the coming days, one of which will reportedly
 curb refugee admissions 

Mr Trump told US media that 
he had made his selection for
Supreme Court nominee, and will announce the name next
Thursday