Mexicans burn Donald Trump effigies during Easter ritual

Mexicans celebrating anEaster ritual late on Saturday burnedeffigies of U.S. Republicanpresidential hopeful Donald Trump, whose anti-immigrant viewshave sparked outrage in thecountry.

In Mexico City's La Merced neighbourhood, hundreds ofcheering residents yelled "death" and various insults as theywatched the explosion of the grinning papier mchmock-up ofthe real estate tycoon, replete with blue blazer, red tie andhis trademark tuft of blond hair.

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Media reported that Trump effigies burned across Mexico,from Puebla to Mexico's industrial hub Monterrey.

The burning is part of a widespread Mexican Holy Weektradition where neighbourhoods burn effigies to represent JudasIscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ according to the Bible.

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Theeffigies are often modeled on unpopular political figures.

"Since he started his campaign and began talking aboutimmigrants, Mexico, and Mexicans, I said 'I've got to get thisguy,'" said Felipe Linares, the artisan who crafted Trump andwhose family has been making Judases for more than 50 years.

The Trump wall

Trump, the front-runner to win the Republican nomination for the Nov. 8 election, has drawn fire in Mexico with his campaign vow to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to make Mexico pay for it.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has said his countrywill not pay for the wall and likened Trump's "strident tone" tothe ascent of dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

Trump, who has also aroused concern among many in his ownparty with his proposals, has accused Mexico of sending rapistsand drug runners across the border and vowed to increase fees onsome Mexican visas and all border crossing cards to help makeMexico pay for the wall.