Antagonism among Mexicans toward the United States grew to 28 percent after the beginning of the invasion of Iraq, an opinion poll released on Wednesday by the local daily, Milenio, shows.

The poll, conducted by the consulting agency Constulta Mitofskyamong individuals older than 18, showed that in Oct. 2001, one month after the terrorist attacks on the United States, only 19 percent of those polled were said "to have a negative sentiment rather than sympathy" for the United States.

The number dropped to 15.3 percent last February, but reached 28 percent in March.

The poll revealed that 83 percent of Mexicans perceived that their country did not support the US-led war.

Sixty-nine percent of those polled believed that remaining neutral and not supporting any of the nations involved in the conflict was the best alternative.

According to opinion polls conducted by the authorities, Mexican President Vicente Fox achieved a popularity level of 80 percent because of his anti-war stance.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2003)