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Mexico's President Calderon seeks to change country's name | Mexico's President Calderon seeks to change country's name |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent a bill to congress to change the official name of the country. | Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent a bill to congress to change the official name of the country. |
The current name, the United Mexican States, was adopted in 1824 and was intended to emulate its northern neighbour. | |
President Calderon wants to change it to just Mexico, as the country is known the world over. | President Calderon wants to change it to just Mexico, as the country is known the world over. |
Mr Calderon, who leaves office on 1 December, said Mexico no longer needed to copy any foreign power. | Mr Calderon, who leaves office on 1 December, said Mexico no longer needed to copy any foreign power. |
"The name of our country no longer needs to emulate that of other nations," Mr Calderon told a news conference. | "The name of our country no longer needs to emulate that of other nations," Mr Calderon told a news conference. |
"Forgive me for the expression, but Mexico's name is Mexico." | "Forgive me for the expression, but Mexico's name is Mexico." |
The name United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) was brought in after independence from Spain. | |
It is used mostly on official documents, money and other government material. | It is used mostly on official documents, money and other government material. |
Mr Calderon first suggested the name change as a congressman in 2003, but the bill did not make it to a vote. | Mr Calderon first suggested the name change as a congressman in 2003, but the bill did not make it to a vote. |
The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico says if the reaction on Twitter is anything to go by few Mexicans see this as a serious issue. | The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico says if the reaction on Twitter is anything to go by few Mexicans see this as a serious issue. |
Suggestions flooded in for a new name for Mexico, many of them mocking Mr Calderon, such as "Fraud-land" in reference to widespread corruption, our correspondent says. | Suggestions flooded in for a new name for Mexico, many of them mocking Mr Calderon, such as "Fraud-land" in reference to widespread corruption, our correspondent says. |
The constitutional reform Mr Calderon proposes needs to be approved by both houses of Congress and a majority of Mexico's 31 state legislatures. | The constitutional reform Mr Calderon proposes needs to be approved by both houses of Congress and a majority of Mexico's 31 state legislatures. |
Coming with just a week to go before Mr Calderon leaves office, the president's critics see this as a symbolic gesture. | Coming with just a week to go before Mr Calderon leaves office, the president's critics see this as a symbolic gesture. |
Mr Calderon will hand over to president-elect Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. | Mr Calderon will hand over to president-elect Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. |