Mexican Association President Dismissed for Racist "Slant-Eye" Gesture

Racist Gesture Made Behind Korean YouTuber at World Cup Stadium
Global Backlash Beyond Korea... Official Set to Be Dismissed

A local official in Mexico was dismissed from his position after committing an act of racial discrimination behind a Korean influencer at a World Cup stadium.

A Mexican man committed an act of racial discrimination against a Korean female YouTuber at a 2026 North American World Cup stadium, causing controversy. Photo captured from Inonyang social media (SNS).

On June 13 (local time), international media outlets including the New York Post reported that Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, president of the Colegio de Ingenieros Topógrafos y Geomáticos del Estado de Jalisco (CITGEJ), was dismissed from his position for making a "slant eye" gesture and other acts of racial discrimination toward a Korean influencer.

An association official told the New York Post, "We feel deep sadness over this incident," adding, "We immediately convened the Honor and Justice Committee on the day of the event, and President Bernal will be removed from his position."

Previously, Korean YouTuber Inonyang, who has a total of 9 million followers on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, was filming a video capturing the excitement at the scene after the Korean national team's victory over the Czech Republic in their first group stage match at the North American World Cup, held at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico, when the incident occurred.

A man sitting in the row behind Inonyang made mocking hand gestures toward the camera and laughed while making "slant eye" motions. This gesture, known as the "Slant Eye," is considered one of the most representative forms of racial discrimination against East Asians. The video captured Inonyang’s reaction as she stared at the camera with a solemn expression after being subjected to the racist act.

Inonyang wrote on her social media account, "I came all the way to Mexico to see the World Cup... Am I being too sensitive?" She also posted in English, "I flew halfway around the world to enjoy the World Cup, but I experienced racism."

This video quickly spread not only in Korea but also through local media in Mexico. Regional outlet Politico exposed the perpetrator’s identity as President Bernal, criticizing the incident as "a highly shameful act of publicly mocking a female spectator's appearance."

Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University also stated, "It is absolutely unacceptable for such outdated behavior to be repeated on the World Cup stage, where national and racial barriers should be broken down and the global community should unite." He emphasized, "President Bernal must formally apologize to the victim, and FIFA should also devise effective measures to prevent recurrence."

Messages of apology and support from Mexican netizens have been posted on Inonyang's social media. They commented, "As a fellow Mexican, I feel ashamed," "I apologize on his behalf," and "He should step down from his position as president."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.