Duck mascot joins Sheinbaum briefing and draws criticism

A duck dressed in Mexico soccer gear became the focus of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Monday morning briefing in Mexico City, according to The Associated Press. The appearance drew attention because it mixed World Cup spectacle with criticism that other groups seeking the president’s attention have not received the same access.

The AP reported that Merlín, described as Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot, entered the room before Sheinbaum wearing the national team’s green jersey and a FIFA tie. He sat facing the press but did not answer questions; his owner, Carla Gómez, spoke for the family.

Gómez, a street vendor who sells water and soft drinks, used the moment to present her family as part of Mexico’s working class, according to the AP. She said, “We are the working part” of the country.

Her sons, Carlos, 22, and Cristian, 14, sat near the lectern with Merlín at the center of the scene, the AP reported. Gómez said Cristian helps her after school by selling goods and carrying packages.

Cristian described Merlín as the head of the family’s small business, saying the duck follows them and checks that they are doing their work properly, according to the AP. The family said Merlín is fed small fish and crickets, and on Sundays gets a meat taco.

Gómez told reporters she was moved by the response to Merlín from World Cup fans, the AP reported. She said the duck’s popularity was “the best thing that has happened to us in this life.”

The family’s connection with attention-grabbing ducks did not begin with Merlín, according to Gómez. She said other ducks they had owned had also become known in Mexico City’s historic center, including one named Bruna that wore tennis shoes.

Gómez said she believes the family drew attention online because people recognized them as a household that works daily to make enough money to live on, according to the AP. The briefing eventually had to continue, and the AP reported that Sheinbaum cut off questions after trying to pet Merlín and posing for a photo with the family.

The moment quickly prompted criticism on social media, according to the AP. Critics objected to Sheinbaum hosting the duck while relatives of missing people, who have been protesting and seeking a direct meeting with her since the World Cup began, had not been heard.

Animal welfare concerns also followed Merlín’s turn in the spotlight. The Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit of Pachuca, a government-run agency in a city about 90 kilometers, or 55 miles, north of Mexico City, warned in a Facebook post that popular pets can encourage impulse buying and later abandonment.

The agency wrote that animals do not need to become fashion accessories for owners and instead need responsible caretakers, according to the AP. Merlín’s family, the AP reported, presented him as a cared-for member of their daily working life.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.