Argentine president apologises for ‘jungle’ comment

Alberto Fernandez has said, unlike Mexicans and Brazilians, Argentines are from Europe, sparking accusations of racism.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has apologised after triggering a Twitter storm and a regional race debate after telling visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez that modern-day Mexicans originate from Indigenous peoples, Brazilians “from the jungle”, and his own country’s inhabitants from Europe. Fernandez made the comments on Wednesday in an apparent attempt to stress the close ties between Argentina and Spain. “The Mexicans came from the Indians, the Brazilians came from the jungle, but we Argentines came from the ships. And they were ships that came from Europe,” Fernandez said, claiming the words had been written by Mexican poet Octavia Paz.