Peru’s ambassador to the United States demands apologies from the makers of ABC sitcom Modern Family over a joke made by Colombian actress Sofia Vergara in the series.
In Tuesday’s episode of the popular American comedy, Vergara’s on-screen husband said that stealing is legal “maybe in Colombia.” Vergara’s character Gloria responded with “Oh, because in Colombia we trip over goats and we kill people in the street? Do you know how offensive that is? Like we’re Peruvians!”
“We have sent a letter with a suffiently strong tone to let them know this is not appropriate, expressing empathically we are not pleased and demand a public apology,” ambassador Luis Valdivieso told French press agency AFP, who added that his government is waiting for a response by the producers.
According to the Peruvian ambassador, jokes based on ethnicity are not of this time and “you can not use the media to discredit and denigrate a country.” Instead, the media should promote multiculturalism, the diplomat added.
The Emmy-award-winning “Modern Family” is Vergara’s most successful project on U.S. television.