The former President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014) described U.S. Republican presidential candidate, Donald’s Trump campaign rhetoric as “dangerous” even if the billionaire does not win the general election, in an interview published Friday by the Mexican newspaper, Reforma.

The biggest risk that Trump represents to Latin America is not that he is likely to win the presidency – the chances of which Chinchilla seemed to minimize, but that his “racially charged speech” takes root within the U.S. public, Chinchilla warned, according to Reforma.

According to Chinchilla, Trump’s “anti-immigrant” and “anti-free trade” rhetoric has struck a chord with a portion of the American public frustrated over the country’s economic condition.

“Instead of seeking a constructive path to address [the country’s] problems, [Trump] is feeding feelings of exclusion and segregation amongst a sector of the American population that is frustrated by the economic conditions of the country,” Chinchilla said.

“The most significant consequence of this very dangerous rhetoric could be the growth of a very negative sentiments amongst the American people,” Chinchilla continued, adding that already, other candidates in the U.S. presidential race have had to “reposition themselves on immigration issues” in order to adapt to Trump’s “extreme” positions that have been firing up particular sectors of American society.

Chinchilla said she fears that such anti-immigrant sentiment could become prevalent in the United States as a result of Trump’s rhetoric, “even if he doesn’t win the presidency, which would create a very negative climate in which to advance immigration reform.”

While noting that governments must keep their distance from the U.S. political process, Chinchilla recommended that other influencers in Latin America raise their voices against Trump.

“I understand that governments have to be cautious [from involving themselves in the U.S. political process], but nothing prevents other sectors of great leadership in Latin America from raising their voices; more so I think they have an obligation to do so,” Chinchilla said, suggesting that Latin American shapers of public opinion, the media, and politicians who are now out of office should play a role in expressing their opposition to Trump’s rhetoric.

Laura Chinchilla Miranda was Costa Rica’s first female president, serving in office from 2010 to 2014. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.