The chairman of Mexico's largest petrochemical company is telling Donald Trump that the US deserves better than the fear and divisiveness the Republican presidential candidate has been peddling to voters.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mexichem chairman Juan Pablo del Valle published an open letter to Trump on Twitter, writing that he does not bring crime or drugs to the US - rather, he's invested more than $US2 billion ($2.66 billion) in the country over the past five years. "We operate in 13 states and provide thousands of good paying jobs," he wrote.
"Isolation, fear, insults and social divisiveness cannot possibly be a path to greatness for a president or a country," he wrote. "I hope that you would be capable of defining the kind of positive, innovative leadership that the United States needs and our times demand. But, colour me skeptical."
@realDonaldTrump I'm told you don't like criticism, but here goes: pic.twitter.com/cfpQU6cfVQ— Juan Pablo del Valle (@JuanPdelvalle) August 30, 2016
Trump has made immigration control a centrepiece of his campaign, promising to build a wall on the US-Mexico border to stop illegal crossings that he says includes "rapists" and "killers." He's said he'll use economic leverage to force Mexico to pay the multi-billion-dollar price tag for the wall's construction.
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox used an expletive earlier this year to describe the wall, saying Mexico would not pay for it.
Mexichem, Latin America's biggest plastic pipe maker, bought US-based Dura-Line Corp. for $US630 million in 2014. Sixteen per cent of the company's revenues come from its northern neighbour. The company produces materials that are integral to US products like solar panels, oil pipe linings, polyethylene pipes and pharmaceuticals, according to the letter.
Del Valle's comments join those of Mexico's foreign minister, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, who called for greater integration between the countries. Earlier this month, she cited the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership as an opportunity to deepen the trade relationship created by NAFTA.
Donald Trump for his part seems to remain unfazed, using Twitter to spruik a rally in Arizona on Wednesday, where he plans to give a "major speech" on illegal immigration.
From day one I said that I was going to build a great wall on the SOUTHERN BORDER, and much more. Stop illegal immigration. Watch Wednesday!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2016
Bloomberg with BusinessDay