After President Obama’s upbeat speech in Mexico on Friday, many in attendance said they were flattered by the description of their country, but others said they hardly recognized the place he had just described.
“[That was] a really good speech by President Obama, but what Mexico was he talking about?” said Jose Carlos Cruz, 24, a graduate student in international relations. “Unfortunately in our country, the situation is terrible: There’s poverty, unemployment, and even worse, the future is anything but promising.
“How nice that he came to give inspiring speeches, but what’s happening in Mexico is far from what he talked about today,” Cruz said.
In the speech, delivered at National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, Obama described Mexico as a nation that is “creating new prosperity,” has “lifted millions from poverty” and has institutions that are “more accountable to you.”
This week, the nonprofit Freedom House, in its annual report on the state of journalism globally,
lumped Mexico in the category of nations where the press is “not free,” due to persistent threats and violence directed against reporters and news organizations.
“My question is: Who wrote Obama’s speech — Enrique Peña Nieto’s team?” Castro asked. ...I believe that today, he was talking about another country, not ours.”
Obama sings Mexico's praises, but some Mexicans hear flat notes - latimes.com
