Trump urged Mexican president not to talk about wall

US President Donald Trump charged his Mexican counterpart, Enrique Peña Nieto, to stop talking to the press that his country would not pay for the billionaire wall the Republican tycoon plans to build on the border between the two nations.

The conversation took place during a phone call on Jan. 27, a week after Trump's inauguration, and his transcript was released on Thursday (3) by the US newspaper "The Washington Post."

"You can not say that to the press," the US president said repeatedly. Throughout the campaign, the wall on the Mexican border was one of the pillars of Trump's speech, which has always guaranteed that the neighboring country would pay for the work, which could cost more than $ 20 billion.

In a conversation with Peña Nieto, the Republican admitted that funds for the wall would have to come from other sources, but threatened to cut off contacts with his colleague if he continued to make declarations challenging him. "It's going to work somehow," Trump said, adding, "If you're going to say that Mexico will not pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet you any more."

In addition, the US president even said that the wall is "the least important thing" to discuss, but "politically" may be the "most important". At the beginning of Trump's term, Peña Nieto even canceled a visit to the White House because of the controversy over the payment of the work.

The spreading of the conversation has already provoked criticism from the opposition to the Mexican president, who is accused of having a "submissive" attitude towards the Republican. "President Peña Nieto has reduced the image of the country around the world with this conduct. It is his obligation to respect his position," said Federal Representative Jorge López Martín, an exponent of the National Action Party (PAN).

At a recent meeting in Germany, during the G20 summit, Trump called Peña Nieto a "friend", but reiterated that Mexico will pay for the wall, which was promptly denied by the Latin president.