The Mexican president justifies the participation of Russian military personnel in the Independence parade.
Mexico City’s president has expressed support for the involvement of Russian soldiers in a recent military parade.
The Russian participation in the Independence parade on Saturday faced backlash due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While Mexico has denounced the invasion, it has chosen to remain neutral and refrained from imposing sanctions. Additionally, Mexico has continued to purchase COVID vaccines from Russia, specifically those from the year 2020.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged the participation of a group from China and mentioned that all nations with diplomatic ties to Mexico were extended invitations.
López Obrador admitted that the matter turned into “a scandal,” but he attributed it to his ongoing conflict with the news media, whom he perceives as being against him.
López Obrador pointed out that the Chinese also took part in the parade without facing much criticism. He mentioned that in previous parades, a Russian group had participated as well, but it was during a time when Russia was not involved in invading its neighboring countries.
“He stated that all the nations Mexico maintains diplomatic ties with were extended invitations.”
PHOTOS: Mexican president defends inclusion of Russian military contingent in Independence parade
However, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Mexico, Oksana Dramaretska, wrote in her social media accounts that “The civic-military parade in Mexico City was stained by the participation of a Russian regiment; the boots and hands of these war criminals are stained with blood.”
After the invasion, certain individuals from López Obrador’s Morena party have openly shown their fondness for Russia. Additionally, López Obrador has consistently voiced his disapproval of the United States’ decision to provide weapons to Ukraine.
López Obrador’s administration has continued to buy Russia’s Sputnik COVID vaccine and intends to use it as a booster shot later this year, along with Cuba’s Abdala vaccine.
Experts have questioned the use of those vaccines, along with Mexico’s own Patria vaccine, as a booster for new variants, because all of them were designed in 2020 to combat variants circulating at the time.
