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Mexican president seeks distance from US in proposed change to country’s name

Published time: November 23, 2012 08:15
Edited time: November 23, 2012 12:15
Mexican President Felipe Calderon speaking about his proposal to change the name of the country, at Los Pinos presidential palace on November 22, 2012.(AFP Photo / Presidencia)

Known for nearly 200 years as the United Mexican States, the republic may soon change its name. The country’s president, whose term in office is ending, has proposed the adoption of ‘Mexico’ to better distinguish it from the US.

The name ‘United Mexican States’ was originally adopted in the 19th in a gesture marking the country’s recent independence from Spain, and also to mirror a similar sovereign nation to its north: The United States.

Though the country is known informally as Mexico, with the original name only used on official documents and money, “Mexico doesn't need a name that emulates another country and that no one uses on a daily basis,” Mexican President Felipe Calderon said during a press conference.

Though American sports, TV, culture, and products are all popular in Mexico, Calderon explained that the country’s official name should represent its people.

"It's time for Mexicans to return to the beauty and simplicity of the name of our country, Mexico," he said. "A name that we chant, that we sing, that makes us happy, that we identify with, that fills us with pride."

“Mexico's name is Mexico,” he said.

The proposal requires approval from both the country’s Congress and a majority of Mexico’s 31 state legislatures. Calderon is leaving office on December 1, leading critics to deride his announcement as a symbolic gesture.

Users on Twitter mocked Calderon’s proposal, referring to Mexico as ‘Fraud-land,’ – a reference to the widespread corruption allegations leveled against the Mexican president.

Calderon previously tried to change the country’s name when he was a congressman in 2003. The proposal he advanced failed, and never came up for a vote.

Calderon’s six-year term has been defined by a militarized police offensive against Mexico’s drug cartels. At least 47,500 people have died in cartel-related violence during his term in office, AP reported.

Comments (25)

Arraka (unregistered) 03.12.2012 00:05

I consider myself lucky to have been born in Mexico, is not really that bad as anyone might think, our main problems have solutions: like legalization of weed, that would be an excelent step forward.
People here are changing too they don't have as much kids as they used to, they don't force you to follow their religion nor customs (football, tequila, whatever) you can also be gay in most urban areas, and finally as American in Romania pointed out we are economically integrated with the USA which is rather AWESOME!, I remember a few years time back only the rich can afford US products and they would show off ALL the time. Therefore I only expect good things from the future

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AmericanInRomania (unregistered) 24.11.2012 15:42

Vladikoshka wrote in #3
AmericanI nRomania (unregistered) wrote in #2
laugh-at- hypocrites (unregistered) wrote in #20
@America ninRomania1) The United States of Mexico is made up of 31 states, plus a federal district.  The name has nothing to do with the USA states....---------- ---- One can tell you were not educated in Mexico. There are 32 states (not 31) plus a Federal District, equaling 33 separately administered territories. 33 is a mason number. Canada has 13 states, 13 also being a mason number. ------I was educated in the United States and Germany, but growing up in the USA, you will probably have Mexican friends and many will travel to Mexico. I aslo lived and worked in Ontario for a short period. So let me provide you with an education that you obviously never received:States of Mexico:1)   Aguascalientes2)   Baja California3)   Baja California Sur4)   Campeche5)   Chiapas6)   Chihuahua7)   Coahuila8)   Colima9)   Durango10) Guanajuato11) Guerrero12) Hidalgo13) Jalisco14) México15) Michoacán16) Morelos17) Nayarit18) Nuevo León19) Oaxaca20) Puebla21) Querétaro22) Quintana Roo23) San Luis Potosí24) Sinaloa 25) Sonora26) Tabasco27) Tamaulipas28) Tlaxcala29) Veracruz30) Yucatán31) Zacatecas**Fed District** - Mexico City ****Provinces of Canada:1)   Alberta2)   British Columbia3)   Manitoba4)   New Brunswick5)   Newfoundland & Labrador6)   Nova Scotia7)   Ontario8)   Prince Edward Island9)   Quebec10) SaskatchewanCanada has 3 territories that are NOT provinces:1) Northwest Territories 2) Nunavut3) Yukon** if you consider territories as provinces, how many states does the USA have?   65?  That's what it would be if you included D.C. and US Territories.  In Canada and the US,  territories are under the control of Federal jurisdiction.  States and Provinces have semi-autonomous control over their land.
Tell me, what's it like to put your foot in your mouth?  Do you usually try to fit it all in at once or do you take it slow, one toe at a time till you fit it up to your ankle?

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Vladikoshka 24.11.2012 04:17

AmericanInRomania (unregistered) wrote in #2
laugh-at- hypocrites (unregistered) wrote in #20
@America ninRomania

LO L!  NYT & NPR!  (New York Slime & National Propaganda Radio).....

R eal sensitive about RT news 'spin' are you? And you get your news from NYT & NPR? You're a hypocrite, too...Most Americans would agree that NPR & NYT are snobby mouthpieces for Limousine Liberals like yourself  and hardly report the truth by any standards. 

Why even pollute RT with your propaganda? I'm sure a pathetic sycophant like you could kiss up enough to NPR to have your comments posted but maybe not....I noticed only one comment on NPR and not even a comment board on the NYT...& none of them were yours...lol.....---- ---------1) The United States of Mexico is made up of 31 states, plus a federal district.  The name has nothing to do with the USA states.2) This story was covered on Thursday by every publication as an interest/filler piece because it's about symantics, not a 'rift', as RT likes to pretend there is.  My favorite was the RT article about how the US was going to invade Mexico.  That was a real piece of... something, to say the least.3) We are a month away from 2013, not 1834 and not 1915 (Zimmermann Telegram) and I suggest slightly less history and more current events if you would like to understand the world as it is today versus 170 years ago.4) The New York Times is one of the most respected publications in the World and NPR is radio, so why would you find comments online?4) If you insist on pretending you are an educated professional, I suggest reading more NYT, FT, WSJ and Economist.  You will find none of them have comment boards because real publications don't.  They have Op-Ed sections.  Comment boards are for entertainment and attracting dolts to websites. One can tell you were not educated in Mexico. There are 32 states (not 31) plus a Federal District, equaling 33 separately administered territories. 33 is a mason number. Canada has 13 states, 13 also being a mason number.

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