The rise of Donald Trump shows the need for a deeper understanding of the US in Mexico and elsewhere.

Recent weeks have seen tensions between Mexico and the United States increase to a point not seen since the Mexican revolution. Jesus Velasco writes that these tensions mean that we should revisit the works of Mexican writer and diplomat, Octavio Paz, who argued that the main threat for America was its disavowal of the “other” which could lead to the election of an authoritarian demagogue. Now, he says, those in Mexico and elsewhere need to better understand the US and its full complexity in order to determine the best way to deal with Donald Trump and what he represents.