Donald Trump: Some Mexicans Have Decided To Burn Him In Effigy For Easter

Some folks have had enough of Donald Trump, and to express their dissatisfaction, they will be burning him in effigy over the Easter weekend. A papier-mache representation of Trump created by artist Felipe Linares will be used during the “Burning of Judas” celebration, a tradition where Mexicans burn figures of politicians, the devil, and others that they dislike on Easter Sunday eve. Trump’s effigy even gets the special addition of fireworks added to its feet to give that extra “pop” to the ceremony.

Yahoo News reports that it took Linares roughly a week to build the Trump likeness. It stands six feet tall and is wearing a blue suit, red tie, and white shirt. The Trump representation will hold an honored place right next to the devil for the burning. Other Mexicans have also created pinatas for the occasion to represent Trump.

#IsraeltheRegion #JewishTimes #DonaldTrump #Easter #Mexico Mexicans to burn Donald Trump in effigy in Easter ritual https://t.co/oeWeHYiGtV

— Israel News (@IsraelNewsNow) March 25, 2016

Linares has been making such effigies for over 50 years in the workshop that his father founded in the early 20th century. He follows a family tradition of four generations before him. He explained the reasoning behind his choice of building the Trump effigy.

“We are going to burn Trump now because we don’t like him. He speaks ill of Mexicans.”

Trump’s negative statements about Mexican immigrants have been widely broadcast by the media as he has referred to them as “criminals” and “rapists.” An opinion poll taken this month revealed that 61 percent of Mexicans disapprove of Trump.

The artist had even more to say about the subject.

“With all of the stupid things he has said about Mexicans, I thought people would like to see him burning as Judas. I think he’s just saying these things to become famous. Who knows if he actually believes it.”

The Guardian describes in even greater detail how the Trump effigy will be ritualized over the holiday weekend. It will hang in a public square as a representation of Judas Iscariot. It will be set afire and allowed to burn as a symbolic gesture of discontent and defeating evil. Iscariot was the biblical figure who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

The tradition of burning politicians and public figures in effigy is one that was brought over from Spain and at one time was a part of the Easter vigil mass. However, over the years, the tradition has faded somewhat, as the Catholic Church has placed more focus on mainstream Easter celebrations and residents found it more difficult to obtain explosives permits.

Donald Trump has also made himself even more unpopular with Mexicans as he has stated that if elected, he would build a wall between the United States and Mexico to prevent immigrants from crossing the border into the U.S.

Ilan Semo, a political historian at Iberoamerican University, believes that Trump’s verbal attacks against Mexican immigrants are culturally sparking an “anti-Mexican campaign,” and this sentiment seems to be shared by the Mexican public at large.

Trump has inspired such ire in the Mexican people in general, as well as Linares specifically, that Linares makes a direct comparison of the politician to ISIS. Leonardo has built a figure to represent the terrorist group as well that will also be burned, and he said that the idea was inspired by the recent attack on Brussels.

And it seems that Leonardo Linares will not be the only one burning Trump in effigy during the festivities. Leon, a city to the west, has also announced that it will be doing the same.

Another American politician burned in effigy in the past during the “Burning of Judas” celebration was former president George W. Bush in 2003.

[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]