Government of Mexico organizes tlayudas festival after controversy at airport

Mexico City, 25 Mar The Government of Mexico announced this Friday the organization of a tlayudas festival (typical dish) at the Los Pinos Cultural Center for this weekend, following the controversy that sparked the fact that, during the inauguration of the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), a woman installed a stand to sell this dish. “What was unthinkable is now possible: come for tlayudas, doraditas, tlaxcales and the best of popular Mexican cuisine at the Los Pinos Cultural Center,” Mexico's Secretary of Culture, Alejandra Frausto, said on her official Twitter account. In addition, he added, “at the house of Maize and Food Culture you will try the exquisite dishes prepared by Doña Lupita that arrive from Felipe Angeles International Airport”. According to the publication, the festival will be held on March 26 and 27 at the former presidential residence of Mexico. Last Monday, during the inauguration of AIFA, one of the emblematic works of the president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, street vendors sold their products in the terminal building. In videos circulated on social networks, you could see a lady selling tlayudas, a typical dish from Oaxaca that consists of a white corn tortilla, circular, between 30 and 40 centimeters in diameter, with ingredients such as beans, meat, avocado and cheese. On Tuesday, during his morning press conference, López Obrador described it as classism for the media to report the sale of tlayudas, considering that this is based on ignorance of the country's cultural greatness and of feeling superior to others. “What happens to our adversaries is that their world is at the top of the pyramid and they think that is Mexico, that's why a lady selling tlayudas at an airport see it as something extraordinary, as something wrong,” he said. He also said that foods such as tlayudas and tlacoyos are “the most nutritious thing there can be” because of their carbohydrate and protein content. Continuing with the theme, on Thursday also at his press conference, the president proposed that one or two garnacha shops be installed in the AIFA. “I think they should (sell) in one of the stores. Hopefully (they are sold) at the airport, I agree with that too, and even if they don't like grenaches and picadas and tlayudas, they would like to. Yes (I would ask them to open) one or two places for this delicious, succulent food, it is our thing,” he said. CHIEF csr/mqb/lll