Mexico has failed to pay proper attention to its relationship with the United States and will be more proactive in countering negative publicity it has suffered during the U.S. election campaign, its new ambassador to Washington said on Thursday.

Donald Trump, Republican front-runner for the presidential nomination, has accused Mexico of sending drug traffickers and rapists across the border and of hurting U.S. trade interests, and has vowed to build a border wall to shut the country out.