Tijuana, August 18. “There is a discussion within the federal government regarding this, that if a brand appropriates a cultural element, it is important that royalties be paid to the indigenous community. There are other positions within the government that say there can't be any type of appropriation ,” said Santiago Nieto Castillo, general director of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), regarding the case of Adidas huaraches.
The former head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) was in Tijuana to meet with state government officials and the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) regarding the IMPI's work on Baja California products that could receive "Made in Mexico" certification and the issue of patents for the state's highest educational institution.
When asked about the case of the huaraches launched by Adidas , which were accused of cultural appropriation and for which the company has already committed to publicly apologizing, Nieto Castillo explained: "We have spoken with the government of Oaxaca to file an infraction based on cultural appropriation, of the cultural heritage of the state of Oaxaca with the huarache."
"Our position with the Oaxaca government, we also discussed it with the Hidalgo government regarding the Dorian Tenangos, we have discussed it with the Querétaro government regarding the Lele dolls, we have detected pirated Lele dolls from China. It is important that a contract be generated where the company agrees to pay X amount, one or two dollars for each pair of shoes sold," he explained.
