Hillary Clinton rejects invitation to visit Mexico

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada on August 25, 2016. (photos by AFP)

US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she will not travel to Mexico, rejecting an invitation by the country’s president, Enrique Pena Nieto.

Clinton made the decision after her Republican rival Donald Trump created what the former secretary called a "diplomatic incident" in his foray there.

According to a written excerpt from an interview with ABC News to be aired Tuesday morning, Clinton said "no" when asked whether she would visit Mexico before the November election.

Nieto invited both Trump and Clinton to visit Mexico. Trump took up his invitation and traveled to the country on Wednesday.

He met with Nieto, who said the business mogul’s policies are a “huge threat” to his nation that should be “confronted.”

Nieto made the remarks shortly after meeting with Trump in the Mexican capital.

“His (Trump’s) policy stances could represent a huge threat to Mexico, and I am not prepared to keep my arms crossed and do nothing,” Nieto said in a television interview late on Wednesday.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (L) and US presidential candidate Donald Trump shake hands after a meeting in Mexico City on August 31, 2016. 

During a press conference with Nieto, Trump said, "We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date."

In her interview with ABC, Clinton said that Trump "came out saying one thing and the Mexican president contradicted him almost immediately."

"He didn't raise it, so he did choke. He didn't know how to even communicate effectively with a head of state. And I think that's a pretty clear outcome from that trip," she added.

Trump has repeatedly pledged to build a wall along the US southern border to prevent more immigrants from entering the US illegally, and has promised to force Mexico to cover  the construction costs.

He has also called undocumented Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals, and has vowed to deport some 11 million of them.