Washington, Sep 24 (IANS) Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs called the proposed border wall that the US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claims he will build if he comes to power as "absurd".
In an interview with MSNBC on Friday, Claudia Ruiz Massieu said: "For us, it's an absurd proposal, it goes against everything we believe in and everything we want to do together, being more competitive, create more jobs and opportunities."
However, Massieu admitted that the border needs to be "more secure, efficient and organised", Efe news reported.
She also defended the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the US, Canada and Mexico, which came into effect in 1994, and which Trump had termed as the "worst trade deal in the history" of his country.
"NAFTA is a success story, it has created jobs in all three countries, besides more investment and opportunities. Free trade has had a lot to do with it," she said, in response to calls for "economic independence" by the tycoon.
The construction of a wall along the extensive southern US border and the deportation of millions of undocumented people are the main points on the agenda of the New York-based magnate, who is contesting the presidential elections scheduled for November 8 against the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
