Versión Español
EspañolUruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica tempered his criticism of the forced disappearance of 43 student teachers in Mexico, according to a press release posted on the website of the Mexican Presidency.
Mujica recanted the comments he made last Friday in an interview with the Latin-American edition of Foreign Affairs, where he described Mexico as a “failed state with its public powers completely out of control.”
“In Mexico, corruption has been established … as an implicit social custom. Surely, the corrupt man is not frowned upon, he is a winner, a splendid person,” Mujica said.
Mujica’s statements created diplomatic tension between Uruguay and Mexico. The Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs recalled the Uruguayan ambassador, and demanded an explanation for the president’s comments.
“No one is oblivious to the tragedies now affecting Mexicans and other Central American countries. The horrible news that come as a result of drug trafficking in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico provide a painful warning of potential future dangers,” Mujica said.
“We have confidence in their strength. These nations are not, nor will they be, harmless or failed states, because they have historical foundations of pre-Columbian nations. The political capital of their parties, and their democratic decisions, supersede current events,” he added.
Mujica expressed solidarity with the Mexican government, saying he was “available to support them in away way that could be useful to help cope with these difficult times.”
He concluded his statements by highlighting “the deep friendship that have historically united Uruguayan and Mexican institutions and people.”
