The citizens of the United States most likely would not win “most-loved people of the world” right now. Regardless of how you feel about President Trump’s policies, they have clearly had a negative impact on the perceptions abroad of both the United States and its citizens. During Trump’s first presidency, when someone abroad disagreed with his policies, I would often hear, “I don’t blame American citizens — I blame Trump.” This time feels different. This time, people from around the world seem more ready and willing to place blame on all U.S. citizens, not just our president.
This anger is manifesting itself here in Mexico in different places and in different ways. I have recently seen “Gringo Go Home” graffiti in multiple cities in Mexico. The recent anti-gentrification protest in Mexico City drew a lot of attention to the impact of Americans increasingly coming to the city to live or vacation. A recent poll by Pew Research shows that the percentage of Mexicans who view the U.S. negatively has skyrocketed from 31% to 69% in just the past few months. Even here at MND, a day hardly goes by without our team receiving a request to invoice in either Mexican pesos or Canadian dollars — people are so angry that they don’t even want to pay in USD!
When I talk to Mexicans about their thoughts on the United States and its citizens right now, they are often quick to share their feelings. Whether it be the topic of tariffs, deportations, taxes on remittances or the border wall, there is real sadness, disappointment, anger and even fear. Most Mexicans feel that they have been an important part of the U.S. — historically, economically and culturally — and right now they feel that their neighbor is letting them down (to put it mildly).
So what can us Americans do? Whether you’re living in Mexico, traveling to Mexico for work or vacation, or even staying in your home country, here are a few thoughts.
1. Be mindful of media and “expert” biases. I have seen multiple U.S. news reports attempting to compare the anti-gentrification protests in Mexico City to what ICE is doing in the United States with Mexicans. In other words, dramatically oversimplifying the issue and trying to create the false narrative that in both countries, they want foreigners out. That simply isn’t true in either country but it does, of course, lead to fear in the U.S. community that they might be unsafe in Mexico or the victims of violence against them. I have even heard “Mexico experts” (consultants based in CDMX and Washington, D.C.) mentioning a potential “black swan event” of violence in Mexico against Americans. We as consumers of information have to be more alert than ever that the motivations of these news organizations and consultants are different than ours. They are looking for more views, more clicks, or more consulting gigs. Genuinely informing or educating you is not their objective. In their minds, fear sells — and fear means more business for them.
2. Understand that you are an ambassador of your home country. The way you talk, the way you treat others, the way you listen, the amount you tip, the effort you make to speak a little Spanish or smile when asking if the other person speaks English — all are a reflection of not only you, but also your home country. Now more than ever it is important to be cognizant of this and aware of the weight and impact of your actions. This isn’t to say that you should change who you are or how you act, but it is to say that you would be foolish to not think that you are being observed and analyzed now more than ever. What do I mean by that? I think many Mexicans are genuinely hurt by what the U.S. is doing to them right now. As a result, through what in many cases are limited interactions with Americans, many Mexicans are trying to assess how much of that pain to credit to the U.S. government versus average U.S. citizens. Your actions will directly shape how that person makes that assessment.
3. Make an extra effort to make a positive impact on Mexico and its people, one interaction at a time. What does this mean? It can mean any of a million different things. If you don’t travel to Mexico, it might mean doing things like buying Mexican products in your local grocery store — like fruit, vegetables, beer or tequila. It might mean supporting local Mexican businesses in your community, knowing that a portion of your purchase is very likely being sent back to Mexico in the form of remittances to support family members. If you are a vacationer in Mexico, it might mean not cancelling your trip based on the fear mongering that you saw on the news. It might mean prioritizing Mexico for your next vacation. If you are a person that does business in Mexico, it might mean staying the course on your planned investments or new hire decisions despite the near constant economic noise being created.
In summary, it means being aware that your actions can either help counteract or help reinforce the perceptions Mexicans have of U.S. citizens. It’s more important now than ever to show Mexico, and the world, who we are as individual Americans.
For some people, that means making a real sacrifice and commitment of time, experience and money. Read my article next week as I profile a group of U.S.-based medical professionals doing incredible volunteer work in Mexico, one small child at a time. It is a story that is guaranteed to inspire you!
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
