Fox: Vargas Llosa is Colombian

Wed31Jan2007

Fox: Vargas Llosa is Colombian

11:55 H | Topics: Celebrities - Chismes - Mexico - Politics

It's nice to know that we're not the only nation with a president that says dumb things. Mexico's ex-president, Vicente Fox, is making media all over Latin America chuckle with his latest foot in the mouth:

"Latin America must flee from the 'perfect dictatorship', as Colombian Nobel prize winner for Literature Mario Vargas Llosa said..."

Ex-president of Mexico Vicente Fox was quite sure of himself when he mentioned the Peruvian writer (a Spanish national) Vargas Llosa who, as far as we know, never won the Nobel.

Maybe someone should open a culture school for Presidents or their speech writers.

Fox was evidentally trying to make a point about what he sees as a rise in dictatorships in Latin America, but not only did he goof up the celebrated author's nationality and decorations, according to 20 Minutos Vargas Llosa was actually referring to Mexico and the PRI regimen in that particular statement.

More at ElUniversal.com.mx (Spanish)

Via / 20 Minutos

Vicente Fox insults Telemundo reporter (Wednesday, Oct 17 2007)
Vicente Fox Comes Tumbling Down (Monday, Oct 15 2007)

Jennifer

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1. Carlos A Quiroz ~ Friday, Feb 02 2007 | 00:13H:

Vargas Llosa isn't Colombian. He is Spanish-Peruvian. After losing the 1990's presidential elections, he left Peru angry and frustrated and found refuge in his beloved Spain. Almost inmediately the Spaniards offered him their nationality. From Spain, Vargas Llosa would make fun of poor "ignorant" Peruvians. Well, since then the writer keeps getting Spanish awards very often, and his close friendship with Jose Maria Aznar is well known.

2. Jennifer Woodard Maderazo ~ Friday, Feb 02 2007 | 12:26H:

Right. That was the point of the post. He's Peruvian and Fox flubbed by saying he was Colombian.

3. theCardinal ~ Monday, Feb 05 2007 | 18:23H:

An equally egregious error is the fact that Vargas Llosa has never won the Nobel Prize. Fox obviously mixed up MVLl with Gabo. MVLl's politics make him an unlikely candidate for the Nobel Prize for Lit.

As for his realtionship with his country it is contentious as it normally is amongst great writers. Vargas Llosa had every reason to avoid his homeland after his loss since Fujimori was less than inviting. At the time Fujimori was busy chasing Vargas Llosa's son out of the country. MVLl did go back to support Toledo's run for the presidency. He used to spend some time in Miami as well as Spain but I don't think he did this year.

VivirLatino