The New York Times reports:
During a recent visit to Argentina by the prime minister of Spain, President Alberto Fernández tried to connect with his guest by paying homage to Argentina’s European immigrant heritage.
Instead, with a statement that was widely seen as xenophobic and offensive, Mr. Fernández managed to cause offense at home and across Latin America — including in the region’s most powerful nations.
“Mexicans emerged from Indigenous people, Brazilians emerged from the jungle but we Argentines arrived on boats. On boats from Europe,” Mr. Fernández said on Wednesday, during a televised appearance next to Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, who was visiting Buenos Aires.
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The president of Argentina is facing criticism for a statement widely seen as xenophobic and offensive: “Mexicans emerged from Indigenous people, Brazilians emerged from the jungle but we Argentines arrived on boats. On boats from Europe,” he said. https://t.co/3kQBSloP7d
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 10, 2021
Alberto Fernández, junto a Pedro Sánchez: “Yo también soy europeísta. Lo escribió Octavio Paz alguna vez, que los mexicanos salieron de los indios; los brasileiros, de la selva, y nosotros, los argentinos, de los barcos. De los barcos de Europa”
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— EL PAÍS América (@elpais_america) June 9, 2021