Argentine president says Brazilians 'came from the jungle', sparking uproar

Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez speaks during a news conference with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Casa Rosada presidential palace, in Buenos Aires, June 9, 2021. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentine President Alberto Fernandez triggered a Twitter storm and a regional race debate on Wednesday with misjudged comments to visiting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez that sought to play up the South American country's ties with Europe.

"The Mexicans came from the Indians, the Brazilians came from the jungle, but we Argentines came from the ships. And they were ships that came from Europe," Fernandez said, referring to the country's many European migrants. He later apologized for the comments and said his country's diversity was something to be proud of.