Readers who come across any sensational stories today should skip to the end.
A story today, on the normally reliable La Jornada Maya, is a case in point. It purports that local politicians cut in line to be the first to receive coronavirus vaccines. Outrageous, but in the realm of possibility.
At the end, however, is the following disclaimer, which translates to: In this convoluted day nothing can be believed because the Holy Innocents are going to twist everything. This content does not correspond to reality and its only purpose is entertainment.
In other words, you were punked on Latin America’s version of April Fool’s Day, El Dia de los Santos Inocentes. At least in this case, the editor played fair and marked his own news as fake.
In past years, spoofs purported that the Cathedral of Mérida, or even the temple at Chichén Itzá, had collapsed. This site, as well, has taken part. We’ve been doing it for years. This one actually kind of came true. But in 2020, we’re stuck for what could be more bizarre than … 2020.
People like to trick friends and family, as well. If someone announces a pregnancy today, beware. That’s a common gag in Mexico, as is changing clocks and smearing toothpaste on the face of a sleeping loved one. Har, har.
