Mexican President replaces Finance Minister

President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday replaced his close ally and finance minister, Luis Videgaray, after the two were heavily criticised for Republican U.S presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial visit to Mexico last week.

A somber-looking Pena Nieto told a news conference that Videgaray, who officials said was the architect of Trump's visit, would make way for former Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade.

Pena Nieto was widely pilloried for hosting Trump at short notice last Wednesday. The New York businessman has repeatedly vowed to build a border to keep out illegal immigrants - which he said Mexico would pay for.

Trump has further infuriated Mexicans by threatening to carry out mass deportations and rewrite trade treaties crucial to their economy, and by referring to some immigrants from the United States' southern neighbor as rapists or drug runners

With economic growth sluggish, the president's popularity at record lows and tensions palpable between the finance minister and other Cabinet members, rumors of Videgaray's impending departure had bubbled under the surface in Mexico for months.

Senior diplomats said Videgaray, 48, had been instrumental in arranging the American's visit, in which the government had hoped to impress upon Trump the need to moderate his tone and reconsider his more divisive campaign proposals.