Lopez Obrador Defends Including Russia In Mexican Independence Parade
A recent Independence Day parade in Mexico received some international backlash due to the decision to include a Russian military unit.
Given Russia’s ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine, a number of high-profile critics around the world denounced Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obardor’s invitation to participate in the event on Saturday.
Lopez Obrador responded to the criticism by insisting that his country maintains “relations with all countries in the world” and every nation was invited to take part in the parade.
His administration has already faced pressure to impose sanctions against Russia as many other Western nations have done in response to last year’s invasion. Although Mexico condemned the military provocation, it has not gone as far as Ukraine and other countries recommend.
Nearly a month after Russia’s invasion, Lopez Obrador’s political party established a “Mexico-Russia Friendship Committee” and roughly two dozen Mexican lawmakers met with Russian Ambassador Viktor Koronelli.
“For us this is a sign of support, of friendship, of solidarity in these complicated times in which my country is not just facing a special military operation in Ukraine, but a tremendous media war,” Koronelli said at the time.
Oksana Dramaretska, Mexico’s Ukrainian ambassador, took aim at the Mexican president on social media for including Russia in the parade, writing: “How coherent is it Mr. Lopez Obrador with your policy of neutrality and condemnation of aggression against my country?”
Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Mexico reportedly celebrated the move.
“Long live the friendship between Mexico and Russia!” the embassy posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Lopez Obrador also received some criticism for including China in the parade, though he remarked that it was less severe than the response to Russia’s participation. He blamed the ensuing “scandal” in part on claims of a media bias against him.
“The Chinese were also in the parade, and there wasn’t so much outcry,” he declared. “All the countries that Mexico has diplomatic relations with were invited.”
Another controversial participant was Nicaragua, which is currently under the oppressive rule of dictator Daniel Ortega.
As Xochitl Galvez, who is mounting a bid to replace Lopez Obrador in next year’s presidential election, responded to the controversial display, the current president has “made it clear that his friends are dictators, not democrats.”
