Image credit:
Depositphotos.com / Moneyman vía México Desconocido
Los Voladores de Papantla filed a formal complaint against presenter Arath de la Torre and fintech Moneyman for the commercial they presented in recent weeks that made fun of this centennial Mexican tradition.
The fintech ad consisted of a video showing the Voladores ritual dance and the actor's voice saying: “Do you know what the number of laps the Papantla Flyers give and your first loan with Moneyman have in common? In that both generate zero interest to you ”.
Image: Depositphotos.com
The audience's response was not positive at all and the criticisms on social networks were not expected because the public considered that the commercial was an offense and a ridicule of the Voladores de Papantla, a tradition that emerged in the Mesoamerican Middle Preclassic Period (1200 - 1400 BC) and that was declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco since 2009.
The commercial went viral in a short time and generated the anger of the users. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture launched a tweet in which Moneyman's use of the Voladores ceremony was criticized .
Image: Ministry of Culture via Twitter
In addition to this, the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), expressed its condemnation of the advertisement.
In an unfortunate and crude advertisement, this company, to promote its services for commercial purposes, makes fun of the pre-Hispanic ritual of the Voladores de Papantla, declared in 2009 as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational Organization. Science and Culture (Unesco).
National Institute of Indigenous Peoples
Finally, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador described the commercial presented by the credit company as racist.
A few days ago there was a questioning of the dance to the Voladores de Papantla, racist. I remember a leader, and it gives me a shame because he was the secretary of Economy, or of Finance of the legitimate government, also with doctorates from ITAM who wrote an article in La Jornada and stated that the Indian is not to blame but whoever does it. Buddy.
Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Before the harsh judgments of the spectators, both Arath de la Torre and Moneyman issued a statement in which they expressed their apologies for the spot . In addition, Moneyman clarified that the concept and ideas of the ad were the responsibility of the company, completely delimiting the actor.
Image: Moneyman via Twitter
Image: Arath De La Torre via Twitter
Faced with the scandal caused at the national level, De la Torre was replaced by Gabriel Soto in “ Hoy ”, a program he hosted with Andrea Legarreta, Galilea Montijo, Paul Stanley and Lambda García.