Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Mexico angered by Top Gear 'xenophobia'

Kevin Rawlinson
Wednesday 02 February 2011 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

The Mexican ambassador to Britain has complained to the BBC over "offensive, xenophobic and humiliating" comments on the motoring programme Top Gear.

Eduardo Medina-Mora wrote to the BBC after the show's presenters Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May compared the characteristics of a Mexican sports car to those of the country's citizens.

Hammond said of the Mastretta under review: "Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat."

They went on to describe Mexican food as "refried sick".

Jeremy Clarkson spoke of his confidence that the ambassador would not file any sort of complaint because, he said, he would be asleep.

But Mr Medina-Mora did complain, calling the comments "offensive". The BBC did not comment but said it would respond directly to the ambassador.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in