Mexican firms who help build Trump wall “traitors,” says Catholic Church

Writing in an editorial in the weekly Desde la fe, published by the Archdiocese of Mexico, the country’s Catholic authorities lambast domestic companies interested in working on what it calls a “fanatical project,” and which it says will destroy relations between the United States and Mexico. “Using the benign argument of generating employment, these companies are looking to make a profit without thinking of the consequences. For them, the end justifies the means,” the editorial reads.

The publication criticizes the “half-hearted” response of the authorities in Mexico in not showing greater firmness with companies that have expressed an interest in working on building the wall. The Catholic Church, which is a powerful force in this traditionally religious country, argues that local involvement in building the wall will end up “feeding” discrimination. “In practical terms, joining a project that is an affront to dignity is shooting oneself in the foot,” it adds.

Mexican cement company Cemex has said it would supply materials for the wall if asked

A number of Mexican companies have shown an interest in working on Trump’s proposed wall, which the US president has insisted will be paid for by Mexico, a possibility that Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has repeatedly rejected.

Mexican cement company Cemex said in early March that if asked, it would be prepared to supply material for the project, adding that so far it had not been approached about participating.

Meanwhile, Ecovelocity, a small company based in the central city of Puebla, hit the headlines earlier this month when its owner said he saw nothing wrong in providing lighting for the wall, but in the end decided to withdraw his bid. Trump wants to assign some $2.6 billion for the planning, design and construction” of the wall, which would supposedly halt migration from Mexico into the United States.

English version by Nick Lyne.