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MEXICO CITY, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Latin American countries on Friday joined France in mourning the hundreds of victims of the latest terror attack on French soil, and condemned the targeting of innocent lives.
From Mexico to Argentina, countries across the Americas expressed their consternation and unity with the French government and the families of the victims of Thursday's tragic incident in the southern city of Nice, where a truck plowed through crowd celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84, including 10 children, and injuring more than 200 others.
Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry building was lit up in the red, white and blue colors of the French flag late Thursday, in what has become a traditional show of solidarity with France, which has suffered a series of terrorist strikes.
"Mexico's government reiterates its total rejection of any type of violence against civilians," the Foreign Ministry said.
Families had gathered along Nice's waterfront promenade to mark the national holiday when the truck rammed into crowd.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa offered a symbolic "hug for France on its national day and in the face of this tragedy caused by madness. Our solidarity with the injured and the families of those who were killed."
Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Guillaume Long said, "we are shocked by this horrendous and horrifying attack in France."
The driver of the truck, identified as a 31-year-old French citizen of Tunisian origin, was shot dead by French police and arms and grenades were found inside the vehicle. French authorities have yet to determine whether he acted alone.
Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez expressed his "total repudiation" for the attack, adding "that such brutality arising and spreading in so many countries and so many societies is incomprehensible."
In November 2015, 130 people were killed in an attack on a concert venue in Paris, and as many as 352 were injured, in what was considered the single deadliest terrorist strike in the history of France.
Terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) has said it will target France, one of the western coalition forces waging war in Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.
In Caracas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "Venezuela categorically condemns terrorism in all its manifestations ... regardless of the motives."
The ministry, in a statement, also called for "building a world free of violence and combating these atrocious acts that plunge all of humanity into mourning."
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri posted via Twitter, "we join in rejecting the bloody attacks that have shocked France and the world."
The governments of Bolivia and Colombia also condemned the attack, with the president of the Bolivian Senate, Jose Alberto Gonzales, telling reporters it was "unacceptable" that society in this day and age was unable to find a peaceful way to resolve "our differences."
Christian Estrosi, the governor of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, where Nice is situated, described the attack "as the worst tragedy in the history of Nice."
French President Francois called the incident a "terrorist" attack and has announced a three-month extension of a state of emergency that has been in place since the November attacks. Enditem
