O'Reilly threatened boycott of Mexico; suggested Mexican foreign secretary "give the French ambassador a call" to get "fill[ed] ... in" on an O'Reilly boycott

Summary: Bill O'Reilly threatened a boycott of Mexico if the country's foreign secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, makes good on a promise to sue if evidence emerges that the National Guard is directly helping to detain Mexican citizens trying to illegally enter the United States. O'Reilly warned Derbez, "If the Mexican government files one lawsuit in the U.S.A., one, pertaining to the National Guard, I will call for a total boycott of Mexican goods and no travel to your country."

During the May 17 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly threatened a boycott of Mexico if the country's foreign secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, makes good on a promise to sue the United States if evidence emerges that the National Guard is directly helping to detain Mexican citizens trying to illegally enter the United States. O'Reilly warned Derbez, "If the Mexican government files one lawsuit in the U.S.A., one, pertaining to the National Guard, I will call for a total boycott of Mexican goods and no travel to your country." Continuing, O'Reilly suggested that Derbez "give the French ambassador a call" so he could "fill" Derbez "in" on the effects of an O'Reilly-sponsored boycott, a conversation that might not go as O'Reilly suggests.

In response to President Bush's plan to send National Guard troops to the border, Derbez reportedly stated on a Mexican radio station: "If there is a real wave of rights abuses, if we see the National Guard starting to directly participate in detaining people ... we would immediately start filing lawsuits through our consulates."

In March 2003, O'Reilly called for a boycott of France because of the country's opposition to the Iraq war. Since then, O'Reilly has repeatedly overemphasized, exaggerated, and fabricated about the purported effects of his boycott.

From the May 17 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: Thus, Mexico exports its poverty problem to the U.S.A. The government down there will not fix the corruption, so we have to suffer the chaos.

After hearing President Bush order 6,000 National Guard troops to the southern border earlier this week, Mexico's foreign secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, went on a radio program in Mexico City and said, quote, "If there is a real wave of rights abuses, if we see the National Guard starting to directly participate in detaining people, we would immediately start filing lawsuits through our consulates."

OK, then, Mr. Secretary, here's a no-spin message right back to you: If the Mexican government files one lawsuit in the U.S.A., one, pertaining to the National Guard, I will call for a total boycott of Mexican goods and no travel to your country.

Now that might sound presumptuous, and I don't mean to be threatening, but enough's enough. It is your government's fault, sir, that there is border chaos. We in America have a right to security and a right to expect our immigration laws be enforced. So once again, any action by the Mexican government that impacts border security and the U.S.A. will be met with a boycott call. And if you don't believe me or you think it doesn't matter, Mr. Secretary, why don't you give the French ambassador a call? He'll fill you in.

I mean, come on, how much nonsense do we have to absorb? U.S.A. has been a great friend to Mexico. American taxpayers pick up a $68 billion-a-year tab for all the immigration mess. Mexico has an obligation to work with our National Guard, not sue it. Mexico has an obligation to help its own people by creating a vibrant, honest economy.

There's no reason Canada should be prosperous and Mexico not. No reason on this earth.

—J.M.