Mexico mulls legal action to protect Mexicans in US

ANKARA

Mexico announced on Sunday that legal actions will be taken to protect its citizens living in the U.S., after seven Mexicans were killed among others in Saturday's shooting in Texas.

"Mexico expresses its deepest rejection and complete condemnation of an act of barbarism, in which innocent Mexican men and women lost their lives," Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in a video message on Twitter.

Mexico's President had instructed him to make sure the affected families and the Mexican citizens in the U.S. are protected through "effective, prompt, expeditious and forceful legal actions," the minister added.

Ebrard later said in a press conference that Mexico is calling for a meeting of Spanish-speaking countries with communities in the U.S. to safeguard "the culture and rights" of their citizens, reported the American magazine Politico.

The country also plans to take legal actions against those responsible for the shooting and will ask the U.S. authorities for access to the investigation.

"We are going to ask for access to see how this weapon was sold and how it came to their hands. And to know if the authorities knew about the potential of this individual," Ebrard said.

On Monday, the country will also send a diplomatic note to the U.S. government to take "a clear and strong position" on hate crimes, said Politico.

At least 20 people were killed and over 20 were wounded in a shooting at a shopping mall in El Paso, Texas on Saturday.

The suspect was identified as Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white male from another Texas city, Allen, and has since been taken into custody.