¿Por qué no te callas? – Chilean "Piñerías"

It has been a while since we’ve last bestowed our dishonor on those who have made ridiculous remarks. There have been several recent candidates considered for our hall of shame including Cardinal Roger Mahoney’s inappropriate references in criticizing Arizona’s immigration law and Sen. Lindsay Graham’s flip-flop on federal immigration reform. Steve Forbes’ recent Chicken Little-like worry of a “Chavez-style media crackdown” in the U.S. and Evo Morales’ unscientific views on chicken were two other choices. Today, however, we’ll take a look at the lighter side of life with the "Piñerías".

Named by a Chilean journalist, the "Piñerías" describe the mental and physical gaffes committed by Chilean president Sebastian Piñera. His mistakes have apparently become too prevalent according to the EFE news agency including nearly falling into the Mississippi River on a trip to New Orleans and almost getting hit by a car while jaywalking in Santiago. Chilean poet Nicanor Parra may be 95-years-old but Piñera erroneously thought he was dead. Perhaps his biggest mistake was during a visit to the Juan Fernandez archipelago:

“Robinson Crusoe lived on this island for many years and his story not only fascinated the world but also put on the map this island inhabited by 800 Chileans,” said Piñera…

In reality Juan Fernandez is an archipelago consisting of three main islands including one where Scottish mariner Alexander Selkirk was shipwrecked for four years. It was his adventures in the 17th-century that inspired Daniel Defoe to write his fictional masterpiece “Robinson Crusoe”. – [ed. Translated text]

Let’s hope that Piñera keeps his future "Piñerías" to a minimum despite their silliness.

Image- Times Online
Online Sources- El Espectador, UPI, Gawker, Fox News, Los Angeles Times