The Mexican president posted a photo on social media that he says is of a mythical wood elf from Mayan folklore. It is reported by Foxnews.
Photos from open sources
“Everything is mystical,” Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador tweeted, accompanied by two photographs, including one that the president said depicted an “alux.”
According to traditional Mayan belief, “aluks” are small, mischievous creatures that live in forests and fields and tend to play tricks on people, such as hiding things. Some people leave small offerings to comfort them.
Photos from open sources
Obrador’s post got about 5 million views. One photo shows a pre-Hispanic sculpture at Ek Balam, a Yucatec Maya archaeological site, while another photo shows a night shot of what appears to be a creature in a tree with glowing eyes.
Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador says he has proof of the “alux”. It doesn’t look like the president was joking by posting this on Twitter.
The photo of the alleged wood elf was taken last week by an engineer at a construction site for a new railroad in the Yucatán Peninsula, Obrador said. The railway is being built to transport tourists to popular places where the ruins of the Mayan civilization are located.
Photos from open sources
The post sparked ridicule and surprise among some Twitter users, including speculation that the creature in the tree is actually a normal animal.
Other users have posted screenshots that appear to show that the photo posted by the President of Mexico is not new and was previously used in other news stories in 2021.
The ancient Maya civilization reached its peak from 300 to 900 AD. in the Yucatan Peninsula and adjacent parts of Central America, but the descendants of the Maya continue to live on the peninsula.
Many continue to speak the Mayan language and wear traditional clothing while maintaining traditional food, religious and medical practices despite the Spanish conquest of the region between 1527 and 1546.
