Vicente Fox: 'I really apologize' for Trump's Mexico visit

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto "is taking an enormous political risk" by hosting Donald Trump in Mexico City on Wednesday, former President Vicente Fox said, decrying the Republican nominee's visit as "opportunistic" and a "political stunt" while apologizing on behalf of the country for the president's invitation.

"Trump is using Mexico, is using President Peña to push his sinking poll numbers," Fox said in an interview with CNN's "New Day" hours ahead of the scheduled meeting in the Mexican capital.


If Peña Nieto is seen as "going soft" on the businessman, Fox warned, "it will hurt him greatly."

"He will even be considered like a traitor because we don’t accept to be offended," he added, remarking, "I think this is a big mistake on the part of President Peña."

Fox rejected the notion that the trip could improve the standing of either Trump or the sitting Mexican president among Mexicans.

"I mean, you cannot lie to people. You cannot take advantage of people all the time like he's doing. And you cannot cheat people. You have to be straight. You have to speak the truth. This is what he has done none at all. So it's a very opportunistic move and I hope U.S. public opinion, U.S. citizens can see this and finally, and finally see what is behind Trump, this false prophet that is just cheating everybody," Fox said. "It's a desperate move and I don't see how it can work at all."

Asked why he thought Peña Nieto invited Trump, Fox was at a loss. (The Mexican president has also extended an invitation to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.)

"That's what I don't understand, and I will not understand unless there's an explanation to it, except that Peña will take a very firm stand that he will reject and ask and commit him to apologize to all Mexicans here in Mexico and in the United States and that he withdraws all those stupid proposals of building a wall, putting together a trade war with Mexico, of limiting foreign investment into Mexico, of taxing imports to Mexico," Fox said. "I don't know where Peña is."

Fox called Trump's move "very smart," but quickly added that he could not be trusted.

"I don't understand what's going on here, and I really apologize for our president taking this step forward," Fox declared. "I really expect from him, as all 130 million Mexicans, all of our great brother Mexicans in the United States, an explanation from both, from President Peña and Trump himself."