Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who built his campaign around a pledge to build a wall between the US and Mexico, shocked everyone on Tuesday night when he announced he was heading south of the border.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has made incendiary comments about Mexican immigrants in the US, referring to them as "rapists" and "criminals."
It's a strange move for Trump, considering he is less than popular with the Mexican people, as indicated by this effigy of him burned last Easter in Mexico City.
But he is going at the invitation of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who is currently facing unprecedented lows in popularity.
"I invited all US presidential candidates to Mexico to discuss the bilateral relationship. Tomorrow I receive Donald Trump."
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A poll earlier this month found him with just a 23% approval rating, the lowest since the newspaper Reforma began tracking the statistic in 1995. (Only 2% of Mexicans, on the other hand, approve of Trump.)
The political tightrope Peña Nieto was walking became swiftly evident.
“The dilemma tomorrow seems to be: either Trump asks Mexicans for a real apology or Peña Nieto loses the approval he still has,” tweeted writer and historian Héctor Aguilar Camín.
Milenio, one of the largest Mexican newspapers, put out a poll asking readers how they would rate Donald Trump’s visit to the presidential house.
The options were incredible, inexplicable, offensive, or appropriate. (So far "offensive" is winning in a landslide.)
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Politicians, celebrities and average citizens all quickly began tweeting their dismay at the invitation. Former First Lady Margarita Zavala de Calderón made a particularly strong impression with her tweet:
"Mr. Donald Trump, although you were invited, know that you are not welcome," Zavala, who is said to be considering a run for the presidency of her own, tweeted.
Soon #TrumpNoEresBienvenido — or "Trump Is Not Welcome" — began trending throughout Mexico.
"Now that you're coming as a persona non grata to Mexico @realDonaldTrump, we ask that you take this other one with you @EPN #TrumpNoEresBienvenido."
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“How dare you invite @realDonaldTrump to my house @epn? You are not welcome in Mexico and you will never be. #TrumpYouAreNotWelcome,” tweeted Mexican actress Gabriela De la Garza.
"I come from the future to bring you this photo of the meeting between @EPN with Trump."
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The hashtag #FueraTrumpFueraEPN — or "Out Trump, Out EPN" — also began making the rounds.
"A great asshole visits another inept one today! Two allies to screw Mexico! #TrumpNoEresBienvenido #FueraTrumpFueraEPN"
And, as with all things, Game of Thrones got involved.
"I really want to administer a #Dracarys to that pair of idiots #FueraTrumpFueraEPN"
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"#SrTrumpWithAllDueRespect get the hell out of my country because we're not giving you tacos"
And while Trump attempted to use former President Vicente Fox — who famously said Mexico would not "pay for that fucking wall" — as cover for his visit, Fox was having none of it.
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Overall, the feelings of people in Mexico can be summed up in this tweet:
"Trump has offended me profoundly but the invitation EPN made offends me so much more," tweeted professor Soledad Loaeza.
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