MEXICO CITY - President Vicente Fox telephoned US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson to explain that his recent comment about Mexicans working at jobs that even US blacks shunned had been misunderstood and that he had the utmost respect for African-Americans, his spokesman said.
"In his conversation, the president said he had never uttered a racist comment" on African-Americans, for whom spokesman Ruben Aguilar said Fox "conveyed his greatest respect, and that his words had been misinterpreted."
"Fox stressed the enormous respect his government has for all minorities, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion, and the work his government does on behalf of minorities," Aguilar told reporters on Monday after Fox called Jackson.
The telephone call was Fox's bid to end the controversy his words caused during a speech he gave here Friday criticizing a recent US law banning illegal immigrants from obtaining a US driving licence.
"There is no doubt that Mexicans, full of pride, willpower and desire to work, are doing jobs over there that not even blacks want to do," Fox had said prompting angry reactions on both sides of the border.
Fox's office quickly issued a statment saying Fox's words had no racial intent.
US State Department spokesman Richar Boucher called Fox' comment on US immigration laws insensitive and inappropriate.
05/17/2005 10:11 GMT