Shane Jones and Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The Mexican ambassador is meeting with Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Waitangi, after controversial comments he and his second-in-command made last week.
NZ First senior MP Shane Jones in Parliament last week yelled "send the Mexicans home", and Peters - the party's leader and the deputy prime minister - then said Green Party migrant MPs should "show some gratitude" for being in New Zealand.
The Greens condemned the comments and asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee to step in.
Jones and Peters at first rejected criticism of the comments.
However, after Ambassador Alfredo Pérez Bravo raised concerns, Peters acknowledged he could have expressed himself differently.
A spokesperson for the minister said the pair would meet at Waitangi to discuss the matter, which would be followed up through diplomatic channels.
Speaking briefly to reporters ahead of the meeting, the ambassador refused to give further details.
"I have instructions from my government to not make comments about this, because… the government of Mexico is dealing with the issue, so we want to respect that."
After a speech on mining, Jones separately said he also hoped to meet with the ambassador - brushing his comments off and saying he would "share a shot of tequila" with him.
"I bear no malice to any Latin American, I've had some of the most exciting nocturnal experiences with the Latin American people," Jones said on Friday.
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