MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday (Sep 18) defended the presence of a Russian army unit in a weekend parade marking Mexico’s independence day, following sharp criticism his nation had given a platform to forces that invaded Ukraine.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Mexico, opposition politicians and important media blasted the choice to permit a Russian unit to take part on Saturday, however Lopez Obrador mentioned Mexico had allowed any nation to hitch in.
“We’ve got relations with all nations on the earth and we invite everybody,” Lopez Obrador mentioned at a daily authorities press convention after noting that the presence of the Russian unit had sparked a “scandal”.
Lopez Obrador, a leftist, has sought to maintain Mexico impartial within the warfare between Russia and Ukraine, at one level proposing peace talks.
Nonetheless, his authorities has backed some main UN resolutions criticizing Russia’s function within the battle.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Mexico, Oksana Dramaretska, mentioned on X that the parade had been “sullied” by the participation of a Russian unit which she mentioned was “stained with blood”.
“How coherent is it Mr Lopez Obrador along with your coverage of neutrality and condemnation of aggression towards my nation?” Dramaretska wrote on the platform previously often called Twitter.
Russia’s embassy in Mexico celebrated the 154th Preobrazhenskiy Regiment’s participation within the occasion.
“Lengthy stay the friendship between Mexico and Russia!” the Russian embassy mentioned on X.
Models from Brazil, Chile, China, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cuba and Nicaragua had been amongst others additionally participating.
The participation of Nicaragua additionally got here beneath criticism, with the central American nation’s authorities beneath fireplace for cracking down on opposition to President Daniel Ortega. Ortega argues his opponents having been making an attempt to engineer a coup.
Xochitl Galvez, the principle opposition candidate for Mexico’s 2024 presidential election, slammed Lopez Obrador, saying on X he had “made it clear that his associates are dictators, not democrats”.
