Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has raised a few eyebrows due to a social media post showing photographic "proof" of a mythical woodland elf of Mayan folklore.

That mythical Mayan elf is called an "aluxe," and Lopez Obrador tweeted Saturday, "Everything is mystical." Since he is the highest leader in the country, the post went viral and has racked up around five million views as of Sunday.

The tweet not only shows a nighttime photo of a creature in a tree with glowing eyes but also the image of a pre-Hispanic sculpture in Ek Balam, a Yucatec-Maya archaeological site, according to Fox News.

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What Is an Aluxe, and Where Was the Image Shared by Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Taken?

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is not shy about his reverence for indigenous cultures and beliefs. He seemed not to be joking in his Twitter post. 

However, how did the most powerful man in Mexico get his hands on the image? According to USA Today, the president said in his post that the photo was taken last week by an engineer working at the construction site of a new train railway in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Lopez Obrador then claimed that the creature in the tree was an "aluxe," a small and mischievous creature from Mayan mythology. They reportedly often inhabit forests and fields and love to play tricks on people, such as hiding belongings.

That often made people leave small offerings to appease them. The president's post has been ridiculed and drew flak from netizens. Journalist Mauricio Schwarz even debunked it.

Photo of the Alleged Creature That Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Shared Was Already Posted Before

While Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said this photo was taken by an engineer working on his Mayan Train project last week, USA Today reported that the image had been shared before.

The photo was not recent, as a February 2021 post showed it was taken in Manchester, England. The alleged unidentified creature was spotted in a park.

So how did Lopez Obrador find the image? Well, the following day, multiple Mexican media outlets reported the same unidentified creature as a "witch" in Nuevo León in northeast Mexico. 

The Maya train is seen as one of Mexico's most ambitious infrastructure projects. Lopez Obrador claimed it would provide an "environmentally friendly" mode of transport for locals and tourists alike.

The president also said it would boost development and employment in the underdeveloped region. However, critics argue that the megaproject has been rushed, and environmental concerns have been overridden.

The railway is aimed to connect Caribbean beach resorts with Mayan archaeological ruins, with officials targeting to complete the project by the end of 2023. The Maya train project is estimated to cost about $16 billion.  

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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