Rico’s TICO BULL – “Trump Cuts Aid to 3 Mexican Countries”was the on-screen banner for an episode of “Fox & Friends” on Sunday during a segment on the Trump administration’s cut of hundreds of millions of dollars of promised foreign aid to help Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Wait, 3 Mexican countries? I could have let it pass if the Friends at Fox would have said three Mexican States. But three countries. Like is there more than on Mexico? More than one US of A? More than one Costa Rica? Last time I checked there was still one of each.
Later in the day, Fox issued an apology. They clarified that they knew these nations were part of Central America and not of Mexico.
But the damage was done. In today’s fast news cycles, the banner has stayed around long enough to get screenshots and shared and reposted on Worldwide Social Media (WWSM).
When I saw it, I wasn’t sure to laugh or cry. Following the U.S. politics my main source is from CNN, but, as it has been pointed to me, I should broaden my views and decided to give Fox a chance.
Gladys Mccormick, writing on thehill.com wrote, “Among Latinos/as, it confirmed that Fox News is not sensitive or knowledgeable of issues important to our community. I am originally from Costa Rica and I laughingly posted on Facebook that little did we know that, as Central Americans, we belonged to Mexico — and to please pass the mescal.”
In my opinion, the faux pas goes beyond a silly, simple mistake, the timing of Fox News’ mistake shows us the Trump Administration’s view of Central America, for what I can only believe they see anyone from Panama to Guatemala speaking Spanish as “Mexican”.
The Fox thing reminded me of an American visitor, one day, a long time ago, made the remark said he doesn’t speak Mexican when having trouble interacting with Costa Ricans.
At the time I really didn’t pay too much attention to it. But on Sunday I had a flashback. It’s up there along with Costa Rica is an island. Or if Puerto Rico and Costa Rica are the same places.
As Gladys writes in her opinion piece for thehill.com, “For the Trump administration — much like Fox News — Central America is an extension of Mexico (…) We are categorically viewed as a race of ‘suspect aliens’ who, if present in the U.S., may be legal or illegal (…).”
But this hasn’t stopped the U.S. President from hiring people – legal or illegal – from the Mexican town of Perez Zeledon, south of the capital city of San Jose, to work on his New Jersey golf club.
