Castro, speaking Wednesday at a meeting on Latin American economies, accused Mexico of ``turning its back'' on Latin America by signing the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Canada.

Castro said Mexico was ``exchanging its national heroes for Mickey Mouse'' and trying to ``move out of a poor neighborhood into an aristocratic neighborhood.''

Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green asked Cuban Ambassador Abelardo Curbelo Padron to explain Castro's statements and expressed the Mexican government's ``deep surprise'' at the comments.