Vicente Fox was president of Mexico from 2000-2006
A progressive society seeks equality, respect, civility and development based on harmony and intelligence. In the future, successful, thriving societies will be ones where, regardless of social status or origin, the people are worthy of respect and have access to the same opportunities.
The countries that make up the Americas were created through diversity and cultural combination – this has enriched us all, and given us varied identities that we are all proud of. The United States is no exception: this is a country created and enhanced by immigrants.
Where we come from and where we are going, as a global society, is a fact that the new U.S. President doesn't wish to come to terms with. President Trump seems to be stuck in the old world. He refuses to see that the world around him is progressing and changing.
Instead, he is a man in crisis, desperately struggling to survive, always screaming that the opinion of one white man is what matters. (Just take a look at his Twitter feed to realize this.) So many of his proposals are out of time and represent old, chunky and inefficient solutions to modern problems.
There are two facts about what awaits us as a society of the future (a future that Mr. Trump is desperately trying to stop with walls), as if they could stop the change.
It's estimated that between 2044 and 2055, the population in the United States will be made up mostly of ethnicities other than white – so Mr. Trump will be in a minority by then.
It is also estimated that in 20 years, the jobs of today's world will be threatened – not because of the immigrants or outsiders coming to "steal them" at a lower price, but because of the technological advances that will continue to replace tasks in all the diverse industries. This has been demonstrated over and over again, as in the case of the infamous wall: a construction loaded with foolishness that, besides being expensive, would not serve efficiently to deal with the issue of migration coming from the south.
The figures indicate that since 2008, the migration of Mexicans to the United States has declined and in fact our paisanos (countrymen) are returning. A wall would also be a barrier to prevent our countrymen from returning to Mexico. This wall is complete nonsense.
The millions of Mexicans working in the United States represent 8 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, in some Southern states migrants represent up to 12 per cent. The migrant labour force is also vital for agriculture, construction and mining for our Northern neighbours.
Security and legality are absolutely valid concerns, which concern not only the United States, but also Mexico, and that can be discussed together to obtain favourable results.
There is, for example, the Alliance for Prosperity Plan that seeks to boost development in Mexico and Central America in order to effectively stop the influx of migration, especially in Central America.
The best antidote to crime, violence and illegal immigration is development and the creation of opportunities – moving toward tomorrow's successful, thriving society.
What cannot be tolerated at any time is provocation and offence. The world today has already shown that diversity and co-operation are what make countries great. The United States would never have had people like Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs or Mr. Trump himself, had diversity not been a shining pillar of the American society.
This is the world we live in. This world is calling out. Mr. Trump should listen.