By Eliane Portillo

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Patricia Espinosa, rejected the notion that there are radical Islamic terrorist groups in Mexico, as stated by aspiring Republican presidential candidates in the United States.

The Secretary noted that although these statements were part of an electoral campaign, U.S. politicians have to be very careful in speaking about issues of a delicate nature that are important, not only to Mexico, but to the bilateral relationship between the two nations. During an interview on the occasion of the 2011 Green Solutions Forum, which was organized by ProMéxico, she stated that she was taken by surprise because, according to the Secretary, the statements have no basis in reality and were made during a debate between two Republican pre-candidates: Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. I insist, these types of declarations are false and there is no basis to prove them, she said.

The GOP presidential candidates discussed immigration and the U.S.  Mexico border in more depth during Tuesday night’s debate than they had in previous meetings.

Texas Governor Rick Perry said the following: We know that Hamas and Hezbollah are working in Mexico, as well as Iran, with their ploy to get into the United States.

In turn, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, pointed out that the Islamic terror group Hezbollah is working throughout Latin America, including Mexico, which poses a very significant and imminent threat to the United States of America.”