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Dated photo of Mexican politician who stripped down to his underwear in Parliament resurfaces with misleading narrative

Claim: A viral image on Facebook suggests that a Mexican politician stripped naked while giving a speech against corruption and poverty. 

Viral picture is true but the claim attached is misleading and the picture has been circulating on social media on and off since 2013. 

Full Text

A viral Facebook post claims that a Mexican politician stripped almost naked in parliament while giving a speech against corruption and poverty. 

The text accompanying the photo reads: 

“Certainly this act will make the Guinness book of records. In Mexico, a member of parliament, Kelly Muwana went naked while addressing all other parliamentarians to let the country and legislature understand how it feels for the poor..” 

He added: “You are ashamed to see me naked, but you are not ashamed to see your people moving on the streets naked, barefooted, and hungry after you have stolen all their money and wealth”…

Verification

Dubawa, through Google reverse image and Tin eye, found that the picture was first posted in December 2013 following the approval of a controversial legislation in Mexico. 

This was validated in a news report by some sources like the BBC.

According to the news report, the parliamentarian, by name Antonio Garcia Conejo, from the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) stripped down to his underwear to show his rejection of passage of the bill.

The BBC News report also shows that the caption of the viral post is misleading. 

In the report, he said as he dropped his trousers and removed his socks saying: “This is how you are stripping the nation. Where is the benefit? I’m not ashamed, what you are  doing is a shame!” 

Furthermore, the man in the viral photo is by name  Antonio Garcia Conejo and not Kelly Mawuna as the post claims. 

Dubawa also found the video that covers the day of the incident. The video was posted on the YouTube wall of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico.

The video was captioned: “El Dip. Antonio García Conejo (PRD) señala que sus reservas son sobre los artículos 27 constitucional y al octavo transitorio de la minuta. Destaca que ahora está decepcionado por la reforma que se discute, debido a que se trata de entregar los recursos petroleros y energéticos, así como los ambientales, a las empresas extranjeras. Enfatiza que los contratos de licencias son un acto criminal que privatizará poco a poco la industria petrolera. Solicita derogar el artículo octavo transitorio porque daña a la nación y pierde todo lo que se ha ganado durante la lucha histórica.”

Which Google translates it to be  ‘The Dip. Antonio García Conejo (PRD) points out that his reservations are on articles 27 of the constitution and the eighth transitory of the minute. He highlights that now he is disappointed by the reform under discussion, because it is about handing over oil and energy resources, as well as environmental resources, to foreign companies. He emphasizes that licensing contracts are a criminal act that will gradually privatize the oil industry. He requests the repeal of the eighth transitory article because it damages the nation and loses everything that has been gained during the historic struggle.’ 

Conclusion

The viral post took place on the 13th of December, 2013 and the attached context to the claim is false. 

This report was produced under the Dubawa Student Fact-checking Project aimed at offering students in tertiary schools aspiring to take up roles in the profession the opportunity to acquire real-world experience through verification and fact-checking. 

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