Mexican Engineering Guild President Removed After Racist Gesture at World Cup Match

Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, a spectator at the South Korea versus Czech Republic World Cup match in Guadalajara, Mexico, last Friday, was recorded making a ‘slanted-eyes’ gesture behind a South Korean content creator. The gesture, widely considered disrespectful to East Asians, was captured in a video posted by Yoon Su-jin, known online as Ino Cat.

The clip quickly garnered significant attention, accumulating 65,000 comments and over 120,000 shares across various platforms. The incident prompted widespread condemnation, particularly from many Mexicans online who expressed their disgust and apologised for Bernal’s conduct, asserting that he did not represent the broader populace.

Bernal Miramontes issued a public apology on Sunday, acknowledging the widespread circulation of the video and the subsequent reactions. He stated, “I sincerely regret everything this situation has caused. I have taken time to reflect on what happened and I understand the responsibility I have in this moment.”

Following the outcry, Bernal was removed from his role as president of the College of Geomatics and Topographic Surveying Engineers of Jalisco (CITGEJ), as confirmed by a spokesperson for the organisation.