Secretary of State Antony Blinken perplexed some Mexicans on Friday after displaying the Mexican flag upside down during a virtual meeting with Mexican Chancellor Marcelo Ebrard.
Blinken posted a photo of himself sitting at a table in front of the American and Mexican flags before his meeting with Ebrard.
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“It’s great to be ‘in’ Mexico! The US-Mexico relationship impacts the daily lives of citizens of both countries, ”wrote the Secretary of State on Twitter. “Today I am discussing our commitment to work with Mexico on COVID-19, promoting trade and investment and implementing a comprehensive approach to regional migration.”
Unfortunately, one detail was wrong with the virtual tour that baffled online observers – the Mexican flag was flying upside down. The head of the eagle carried on the Mexican flag must face upwards – the opposite of how the flag was positioned behind Blinken.
Mexican journalists were quick to point out the error, expressing some confusion as to why the flag was improperly displayed.
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“With the flag of Mexico upside down, Secretary of State [Blinken] started a virtual tour of the country, “noted journalist Ariel Moutsatsos.
“Biden’s Secretary of State appears before the Republic of Mexico with the Mexican flag upside down,” wrote Leonardo Toledo. “It is a sign, Monsignor Blinken, a sign.”
“What happened there? The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, started his ‘virtual visit’ in which he spoke with the Chancellor [Marcelo Ebrard]”asked the publication Periódico Síntesis.” But why is the Mexican flag upside down? “
“The flag of Mexico is turned upside down, not the other way around,” wrote journalist Leo Agusto, questioning whether there was a “coded message” on the flag upside down.
“The United States Department of State turned the Mexican flag upside down for Secretary Blinken’s video conference with Chancellor Marcelo Embrard,” wrote journalist Javier Garza Ramos. “In navigation, raising a flag upside down is an emergency call to signal extreme danger. There must be a reason.”
When made intentionally, upside-down flags are often used to communicate suffering, protest or disrespect.
The State Department did not immediately return a request for comment on the inverted flag.
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Blinken is not the first prominent official to raise the Mexican flag incorrectly – former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto raised the flag the wrong way during Mexico Flag Day.