La Plaza

News from Latin America and the Caribbean

« Previous | La Plaza Home | Next »

Mexico reconquers California? Absolut drinks to that!















-- Deborah Bonello and Reed Johnson in Mexico City


Comments () | Archives (2261)

The comments to this entry are closed.

Why is it other countries can say anything they want about us and it is O.K. It is thier right too, and we can't say anything about it. But if we say somethung about any other country, like if this ad was ran here in the U.S. showing half of mexico belonging to us, we would be labled racist and bigoted, and told the ad is offensive and should be pulled. Everybody would side with the others blaming us, and saying they are right and we are wrong bla bla bla.

No olviden leer el cuento "A la conquista del territorio vendido" en

all of you "patriots" on this page that are highly offended and walk around with a tree trunk up your behind need to take history for what it is. the southwest was a part of mexico but now is american territory. if you want to get offended by historical facts get offended that we europeans came to the U.S and slaughtered millions of native americans, took their land, drove much of the wildlife near extinction, and corruptly aquired land from mexico. if one pays attention to the population of the southwest, that is where a majority of mexicans live. why? maybe because thats where they lived before we european invaders LOADED them onto trains and sent them south of the new established border. we illegaly stripped all mexican ranchers of their lands and haciendas. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER MEXICANS ARE NATIVE AMERICANS! they didnt get their tan color from the spanish! they where here before us and we just have to learn to live with them. THE SOUTHWEST HAS ENOURMOUS NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE U.S. CAN SAY THAT IT OWS IT SUCCESS TO IT. no wonder mexico feels recentment towards america's acquisition of the southwest. if it still belonged to mexico maybe we americans would be migrating to mexico. OPEN UP YOUR MINDS PEOPLE!!! THE WORLD DOES NOT SPIN AT OUR REQUEST!!!!

brilliant add campaign for vodka in mexico; bad marketing in the US. BUT THAT IS WHY IT WAS MARKETED IN MEXICO!!!!!!!!

I am sick and tired of everything and anything to do with Mexico, or Mexicans. I am sick of going into Kohl's, and Walmart and everything is faced with the Spanish side facing you, the English is faced to the back. Kohl's has every sign in English and Spanish. We live in America!!! The language is ENGLISH!!!!!
We have lost our country. I hope all of you who have helped to let this happen are thrilled!

The Gringos doesn´t watn to see the reality that were and are a countirie of robbers. First they send pirate t Texas, and then this pirates declared their independence. And then they had a pretext for robbing their territories to Mexico. That land has been our for 300 year before as New Spain and after as a Republic of Mexico. Our Spanish, Mulatos and Mestizo ancestors had explored, and populated that area before the uSA existed. San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San José and Sonoma in California were founded bay people from the west coast of Mexico. Tuscon was part of Sonora. The people of new Mexico went from Tlaxcala and other parte of the Center of Mexico. There were big mexican polation in Texas like San Antonio de Bejar and Goliad, Laredo, Nacogches etc.

I am an american and I think the ad is BRILLIANT. Remember who the audience is. It hits the target market right on the head. There are so many "American" ads that could be found offensive to other cultures. Why are some Americans so offended by this one? Absolut is just trying to sell more vodka. By making such a big deal about this campaign, you're actually helping them promote their brand, even if some of the press is negative.

As a bar owner, im offended by the ad and just poured the last bottle of abso vodka down the drain. Good luck selling your product in mexico, because as a United States citizen, I will never purchase your product/ products again in my bar!

Leo con tristeza que la mayor parte de comentarios de 'americanos' es de agresion, burla, descontento contra los mexicanos y contra Mexico... En primera, Americanos es quien vive en America, el continente, desde Canada hasta Argentina. Se refieren constantemente como pais tercermundista, corrupto, y con poca cultura! Vayamos por partes...

Sin afan de ofender, Mexico tiene una vasta cultura que ya quisieran varios paises. Al menos en America (entiendan: el continente) Mexico, algunos paises de centroamerica y Peru tienen vestigios de culturas prehispanicas. Que hay en Estados Unidos (otra vez, sin ofender)? Que cultura hay? USA fue creado por inmigrantes de varios paises. Corrupto? hasta donde recuerdo USA no se escapa de ese mal.... Tecermundista si lo es y lo acepto.

Quien se puede sentir ofendido por un anuncio, por favor!!!! Solo personas acomplejadas!

En fin... yo trabajo en USA, 'legal' como ustedes dirian. Soy Mexicano. Y prefiero vivir en mi pais.

I wanna read the pancho & steve story here ;)... it's hilarious and explain perfectly what's happening. Come 'on, publish it.

God I am so glad the US won the Mexican war, if the world was looking like the "Absolut Map" I would be living in a Nazi country, as I can't imagine the mexicans sacrifying their lives in Normandy to free Europe.... Christophe (French Californian)

Yet again...nobody can make fun of us Americans but we can make fun of the 'dung heap' that is Mexico (like one blogger so eloquently put it). Quit getting so emotional's an ad. They were attempting to appeal to a certain country and we just had to butt in. Does anybody here know that absolut has a vodka that is a New Orleans flavor and all proceeds go to the Gulf Coast fund to help out that region? Probably not...uninformed sensitive idiots. Pick your battles in life...this shouldn't be one of them!

"Only bigots will be offended by this. The same low-bred hillbillies that were crowing about "freedom fries" a couple years ago. Fat white people afraid of every "dark" shadow they see."

A bigot who calls others a bigot. What a way to make an arguement.


I love it how pointing out illegal immigration is "racist." I guess not wanting illegal immigration makes me and a lot of other people racist as well.

Ok. I'm fine with that idiotic concept because people who utter it are complete morons.

What a pathetic lot, blaming others for our misfortunes. We the People...brought in the black slaves, We brought in the Chinese railworkers. And We are bringing in the illegals as well. FYI illegals have jobs assured in the US BEFORE they leave Mexico! Think about this the next time you bite into that juicy steak and baked potato or your hamburger with "freedom" fries. Courtesy of, you guessed it, US agribusiness hiring illegals. Are you going to boycott these too? And the Border Patrol, INS, they are in on the take. Huge business crossing illegals and drugs into our borders. Why? Simply put- there is an insatiable demand for both in the US. Once again our fault.
Wake up to reality folks, steer your kids away from drugs, travel outside our borders, open your eyes, and then criticize. While you are at it have a drink and quit this pissant boycotting that does not get us anywhere. Where is the so called "land of the brave?" More like land of the afraid. Its just an ad!!!

Americans are so uptight! The ad was aimed at the Mexican Market, and is was appropriate and humorous for that market. I see nothing wrong with it. Americans, you can dish it out, but you cant take it when it comes back to you. Absolut runs a great marketing campaign. Your supposed to tailor it for the market your aiming at. America-The Land Of Conceit and The Home Of It Being All About Yourself.
Who am I to talk? Just another misguided Amercian I guess whose family has been in the US since the late 1600s.

Are we such a self centered country that we are able to do the same things that we denounce from others??? On a daily basis we call other countries and their leaders' monsters. On a daily basis we make jokes about other countries. On a daily basis we put ourselves as "numero uno" in the world. I am 100% American and am very proud of that... But why must we be so self centered that we cannot see that other countries are proud, can joke, and can talk down about Americans and America. They are all independent countries and we, as a country, are not their Leader. I, as an American, feel like I live in the greatest country on this earth but I cannot and will not blame any other country, and the people that live in them, for feeling the same about their country. Let them have their commercials. Let them make their jokes. As a country, our ego is the main reason that other countries think poorly of us.

Perhaps the Absolut people should have taken into consideration American sensitivities. We bought the land from Mexico, something Mexicans refuse to acknowledge or remember. It's more profitable for them that they don't. I'll never drink Absolut again. The makers of Absolut can go climb up an agave tree and stick those branches where the sun don't shine.

Mexico started that war and these are sensative times on both side of the border. People don't realize how many Americans are concerned that illegals pouring in from the south could lead to another civil war in this country. There are college groups in the United States that support giving that land back by any means. That group would make it illegal for whites to "breed" in those lands and their plan for taking over is through political positions. Again, Mexico started that war and lost. Am I a bigot? NO, I just don't think this was right giving the climate of the day. How would Europe feel if Absolut had an ad with Germany in control of most of Europe? Don't call people bigot just because they have an opinion other than their own. And if you live in a town that has been hit hard by illegals you will know how illegals are costing us. Look up Beardstown Illinois.

if you were to see the way in which mexican immigrants have virtually destroyed quality of life in southern california and if you were truly aware of the intense hatred and hostility these people feel towards white americans then you would understand how reprehensible this abolut ad is, not that there's any such thing as a good ad for liquid poison.

Where is California and what would really change if it became Mexico.
No more fake boobs only fake buritos ??

Who cares anyway

siempre los gueros tan exagerados, hacen una tormenta en un vaso de agua
no se dan cuenta que unos dependen de otros, mexico de la economia de estados unidos y estados unidos de la poblacion latina que desea adoptar la cultura de Eua.y que representa el futuro de su vieja poblacion,
Ya gueros, y gueras busquense un latino (a) y aprendan a ser felices

No more Absolut for me. Let them sell there booze to the Mexicans. They can use there food stamps and welfare checks to buy it. Then they can get drunk and continue to destroy our neighborhoods and culture.

send me free vodka i don't care who makes it.


What most people do not realize is that nearly two out of three children being born nowadays in the US are from hispanics roots, mainly mexicans... so my friends... Mexico and its brown skin is taking over in the next 40 or 50 years... without shooting one bullet... take that and shove it right up to your... that´s the truth and the thing is that they realize it and there is nothing they can do about it... illegal immigration wont be stopped, mainly because the US people and mainly the US government are hypocrit enough to take those workers to keep the prices low and then complain that there are too many of them... we are spreading the seed dudes!! give me your woman and I ll make a mexican for you, just as a present for the next christmas... greetings from a mexican, WORKING, and paying taxes... in Milwaukee!! Viva La Raza ESE!!

Ps. By the way... I learned english... could you tell??
Ps.2 ABSOLUT, don´t worry about all these whiners... with the increasing latino population in the US... your future sales will be safe in the US for this century... that´s a smart way to plan for the future!! two thumbs up!!

The fact of the matter is that NO part of the USA belongs to Mexico (nor should it) and that this ad caters to those in Mexico who believe otherwise (either that it is or that it should be). Or put another way; this ad caters to Mexicans who believe that Mexico/Mexicans should have control over America's borders and immigration policies, rather than America/Americans.
There are 2 types of people who come here to live in America, who are from foreign countries: (1) Those who WANT TO BE AMERICANS and do it the right way (legally) and (2) those whom simply WANT TO BE IN AMERICA and reap the rewards of the greatest country that ever existed on the face of the earth (criminal invaders who slither across the border and STEAL from us and have no regard for our laws or culture).
The fact that we have 20-30 million criminal invaders who don't speak English, don't obey our laws, don't have any specialized skills, don't have any form of higher education, and have NO INTENTION of assimilating; is UNACCEPTABLE and may be America's biggest problem (at least in the top 3 problems) that we currently face.
This ad is an indicator of a much larger problem than a simple cultural/nationalistic slap in the face...
unfortunately ALL 3 potential future Presidnents don't see this as a problem.

One last point...
Isn't Absolut now owned by a French company???
If so... big surprise. lol.

Boston J

"In the murder of Mexicans upon their own soil, or in robbing them of their country, I can take no part either now or here-after. The guilt of these crimes must rest on others. I will not participate in them."

The swedes should talk. They are closing their borders because of the recent influx of immigrants from iraq. They are learning first hand how their country and their way of life is being destroyed by these locusts. They should come to us in 10 years and beg for help like most of the European nations. These invaders the world over should stay in their own countries and fight to increase their own standard of living. Many sacrifices have been made so that we might have a good life. Coming in illegally at the end is pure bull....! We Americans have been pushed one too many times. Be careful what you wish for. You will wake the sleeping giant. I for one will excersise my right to bear arms and get myself a gun to defend my country. Long live mr. Heston!!!!!!

All I've got to say, is if you think you can take us, bring it on!!!

I find the ad divisive and affront to the American public. I will absolutely never again use Absolut! If it is possible the product should be banned from the US.

Excellent ad, the real america, before that the yanke take a part of Mexico like a thief, the richest part, besides to be a thief you are racist. But in the deeply you know that you are on Mexico in the old Mexico and that is a part that will never change.

Oh my god! The Swedes are uniting the "turrists," the Mexicans, the Blacks, the gays and everyone who likes sex (ewww), the Muslims, the environmentalists, the artists, and evildoers giving out food in Venezuela! Next thing you know, we'll figure out that BushCIA did 9/11!

I live in california, Anaheim to be exact so i'm seeing this reconquista attitude unfolding on a daily basis, I can say without a boubt that I'm not too happy with it, I don't hold anything against anyone wanting to come here to work and make a better life for themselves and their family but since I live here I can truly say that I don't want to move and I definitely don't want to become a citizen of mexico
"A very corrupt country in my opinion" so I say come in do your best to fit in and make itwork for you, but leave your corrupt ways in your former corrupt country or LEAVE this country in peace, because our own local politicians are corrupt enough they don't need any outside help.

I can only laugh on this. USA just recently recognized Kosovo as a independent state, even though Alabanians came tehere as a economic imigrants. Recognition of Kosovo was without UN agrement; now I want to ask you americans, why Califrnia can not have same treatment if people of California want to be a part of Mexico?
I am looking forward for that day, as we say in Serbia "Cat will came on your door one day".

Why everybody so upset? All gringo come hers hate amerika anyway. Nothing good here but dinero gringos racial ulgy mene cabrones america die soon

Don`t be afraid about mexican people, because that thing you call "americans" (brasilian, mexican or any people from any american country are AMERICANS-check out Godard`s movies or any logical process-.) will be the end of your parasite existence. Remember you`re "non-english" invaders, "selfnamed americans hide ancestral sorrows because of being strangers in strange lands, Jewish pople and "americans" are united by the same chains: parasite existences.

The ignorance of Mexicans who think that the Southwest is a part of Mexico rather than the US is yet another example of the bitter and jealous people who have not realized that the success of America is not based off the actual land, but rather the government that has enabled it's citizens to create one of the largest economies in the world. If you look at the resource rich land of Mexico, it is chock full of potenital but the ignorant Mexicans (and their corrupt culture) will not overthrow their corrupt government and find a better way to distribute the wealth. The Mexican government does everything in their power to keep their citizens uneducated and poor and then runs propaganda blaming their problems on the US and encourages their people to break the laws of the US and sneak into the country. Money sent back to Mexico from illegal immigrants is the second highest form of income behind selling oil. The government isn't stupid. Why take care of your people if the people are willing to leave their homes and send money back to Mexico.

Then to top it off, the so called Mexican-Americans who are here and enjoy the benefits of American citizenship march in the street, showing more loyalty to Mexico than the United States.

One last thought...if Mexico still "owned" the Southwest region, what would it really look like? I guarantee that it would not be the thriving economic powerhouse that it is now. It is highly likely to be just an even bigger corrupt country as Mexico is today.

I feel sorry for the citizens of Mexico but they need to seize their current country and focus on their problems rather than imagine salvation in the impossible dream of "reconquering" land that they lost over 160 years ago.

1. the ad just states the map as it looked about 150 years ago

2. some ignorant above stated that the Mexican-American war was begun by Mexicans who killed Texans... well, texans WERE mexicans then, and, if you bother to read your history books a little more thoroughly, youll notice that the attack started after the americans did on texas what latinos are doing nowadays in the us (migrating TO mexico because of lack of many things in their country). several us presidents asked mexico to sell the texas territory, and mexico alwasy refused, so the angry us presidents started financing us migration to texas and then organized them to revolt, making it appear as if they were protesting because of their views of the handling of politics in mexico. that is when the attack to the texans first happened (and none of this is made up, you can consult it in any history book specialized on this period)

3. California WAS STOLEN from mexico. the people who lived in california at the time of its annexion did not ask to be a part of the us, they were happy as mexicans. after the end of the war, the us and mexico signed an agreement in which the us compromised itself to pay the mexican government $1 million for california, money that was NEVER EVER fully paid, so, technically, california is still righteously mexican.

4. mexico is not a "screwed up" country. as a matter of fact, mexico is somewhere between the 8th and 12th economy in size, many rich people live there, literacy rates are high and - unlike other countries in latin america or africa- no one dies out of hunger. you know what their problem is? the mexican version of hillbillies, who only want easy money and refuse to obtain a higher education, are the ones that give the rest of mexican immigrants -and apparently, to all mexicans- a bad name. can you imagine if us citizens were judged by the world only by their hillbillies? what would everyone think of the us as a whole? luckily for you, there is no richer country anywhere near the us frontiers!

5. blocking the waves of immigration in a traditionally immigrant country just because of the color of their skin is not only racist, it also helps showing the lack of education of many us citizens. many of you are still finding it difficult to grapple with a topic that has been solved a hundred years ago by most occidental, well-educated societies (including that thirld-world, good-for-nothing mexico that many of you were so keen to point out in your comments above... latino is not a race, but a combination of many of them, and in mexico you can find lots of different skin colors without mexicans making a fuzz out of it!). you name language as a factor in your opinion, since they speak spanish, but who is forcing people from louisiana who speak french or creolle to speak solely in english? and who cared about language when germans migrated to the states?

6. before you start thinking im only saying all this because im mexican, let me tell you im not. i am a proud belgian who cannot understand why a thing as stupid and unwrthy of attention as an ad would spark such a controversy. and im also wondering why i know more about mexico-us relations better than many of you who claim to be from the us. after all, you hold unquestionable control of the portrayed territories and can do what you want with them - even despite claims from international organizations that say that what youre doing with latino immigrants is plainfully wrong and disrespectful with their rights.

7. i enyojed reading the comments from the well-educated people. you can tell them apart. and a piece of unasked advice for the rest of them: if you have no clue, dont give an opinion, it just makes you look ignorant.

Drink some tequila and chill folks. There's way too much fear and insecurity hidden in your comments. Drink either Tequila or Vodka, both spirits are way better than bourbon or the other red neck tennessee whisky crap the US produces.

... if not for Santa Anna, just to let you know, that where your feet are standing would be Mexico... correctamondou! by Molotov

Don't be afraid Gringos, we'll pay you fairly for the land... jajaja

I think the ad is ridiculous. The Mexicans are already waltzing in and taking over this country, and the politicians are doing NOTHING about it because they just want to buy their votes. Would anybody like to know what Mexico's policy's on immigration are?? I'll tell you right now they sure don't mimic ours.

After the United States got rich from the California gold rush, after all the natural resources the United States got from this territory, some Yankees have the nerve to be offended by a silly ad?

The truth hurts, if youre offended get some stones and accept the truth. The territory was stolen by means of war. Absolut is a vodka from Sweden not form the United States, why should they always bow to the USA? Sales? There are as many people in the world who dislike the states policies as there are vodka drinkers.

Absolut you got my business for life.

How come the people of United States of America (not just America please! thats the name of a continentnot a country) are offended by an ad like this meanwhile their own people are slaughtering thousands of innocent people in other countries where they had nothing to do to begin with. THEN SHALL ALL THECONSCIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD STOP BUYING PRODUCTS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO BOYCOTT THE WARS? I think this is just a stupid ad that is taking advantage of NEGATIVE EMOTIONS stored in the mass subconscious, polarizing people, and creating more and more of the same stupid hate. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS, ARE THE ONES ON TOP, "divide and rule". Also they should have made an exahustive "merka" investigation where they surely found that they would find more economic benefits from this ad, than losses.

Please! Don't fall in this game, mexicans and us people are both humans, so is the people in the rest of the world, why don't we stop acting like idiots with heads full of shit, try to show EVERYONE the respect and tolerance they deserve, respect FREEDOM, live in PEACE and HARMONY, is not that hard, begin with being in peace with yourself and in your family. If you don't have the guts to put yourself into a life path that will lead everyone to a peaceful, free and beautiful world, then you should truly put aside and leave the world for the people who really want to live and enjoy, not hate and suffer. LEARN TO FORGIVE! LEARN TO LOVE! LEARN TO LIVE!!

please think about it, only you can stop yourself from this ridicule INERTIA an IGNORANCE in which the whole mayority of people is. change yourself and your surrounding will change! PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT!! I LOVE THIS WORLD, I LOVE THE PEOPLE IN IT, THE ANIMALS, THE FLOWERS, I LOVE TO LAUGH, I LOVE TO SWIM, TO HIKE, TO ENJOY GOOD TECHNOLOGICAL STUFF, TO PLAY, TO LEARN! PLEASE just take a moment each day to think about it.


Thank you "Remember San Jacinto" for saving me covering the subject of the Mexican war with too much detail. And indeed remember San Jacinto, the Alamo, and the Goliad. The bottom line is this:

A good argument could be made that the United States should have annexed Mexico in the 1840's -we certainly could have. But we did not and the borders we have now were settled in a war.

And of course all this talk about the United States "stealing from Mexico" or "stealing from the Indians" is a bunch of hooey. In most cases, the Indians lost in wars against the United States and losing land was the price of those defeats. (Not every case mind you, just the lions share of them.) Texas was independent of Mexico and annexed by us by their own desire to be. Mexico under Santa Anna got their clocks cleaned and that is history.

I certainly will not be buying any Absolut in the foreseeable future and will ask wherever I go what kind of vodka they use -if it is Absolut I will not have a drink with vodka in it. And before I her a bunch of moronic drivel about this being an issue of race or nationalism, I would have a similar problem with an Absolut map showing Mexico as part of the United States in an advertising campaign as supposedly "ideal."

Because whatever one wants to say about it, Mexico is a sovereign nation and to make such a display in America would be to insult the people of Mexico. Likewise, whatever one wants to say about the settlement of the Mexican war, this ad is an insult to the people of United States.

I don't drink vodka, but told my local liquor store owner that I would not give him my business as long as Absolut was on his shelf. He agreed not to restock. Talk about stupid advertising. Wonder what the ratio of sales US vs Mexico amounts to ? Those ad men should get an award.







lol No I don't get it. I can understand a Welsh man calling himself a Briton, or even a European.
But a citizen of the USoNA spouting that all Mexicans should leave America ?..
lol Silly North Americans.

Oh God, these comments are priceless.

Someone just called a Swedish company "traitorous." Quite a few misspelled and ungrammatical comments about the superiority of 'Murkan culture over Mexican culture.

Unless Absolut has been aiming for the yahoo market, I doubt any of you will be missed.

mexico wishes they could get that land back... suckas!!!

« | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 45 46 | »


Recommended on Facebook


In Case You Missed It...

Recent News



About the Reporters
Ken Ellingwood
Daniel Hernandez
Efrain Hernandez Jr.
Chris Kraul
Richard Marosi
Tracy Wilkinson

In Case You Missed It...