President of Uruguay Lambasts Turkish FM for Ultranationalist Salute at Armenians in Montevideo

• 04.25.2022, 18:23
•  Region,  World

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President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou criticized Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu for making the Grey Wolves ultranationalist organization’s salute towards Armenians in Montevideo, Armenpress reports. 

''It is very unfortunate that the Turkish foreign minister showed the Turkish ultra-nationalist Grey Wolves salute to a group of Armenians in Montevideo. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s conduct must be strongly critisized. The Armenian community is hurt, and they are right,'' the Urugayan president said, noting that advancing ties in commercial matters doesn’t mean that they agree with the other side’s domestic or foreign policy.

During a visit to Uruguay for the opening of the Turkish embassy , Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mocked demonstrators in Montevideo who gathered to demand recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the eve of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

A video posted on Twitter shows how demonstrators were shouting ''asesino'' – meaning murderer in Spanish, when Cavusoglu exited the building and was about to be driven away. Then, Cavusoglu is seen smiling and making the gesture of the ultranationalist Turkish Grey Wolves organization, taunting the demonstrators.

The gesture used by the Turkish ultra-nationalists was banned in Austria in 2019. In Germany, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany and the Left party also proposed to ban the use of the symbol, describing it as fascist.