Mexican trade group leader fired after racist gesture during World Cup

A video lasting just a few seconds ended a career in leadership that presumably took years to build. Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, president of the College of Geomatics and Topographic Surveying Engineers of the State of Jalisco (CITGEJ), was removed from his position after being caught on camera making a racist eye-slanting gesture directed at a South Korean spectator during a 2026 FIFA World Cup match.

The incident occurred on June 13 at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico, during a group stage match between South Korea and the Czech Republic. The target of the gesture was Yoon Su-jin, a South Korean influencer who posted the footage to her social media account under the title “Am I too sensitive?” The internet answered that question decisively: no, she was not.

What the video showed and how fast it spread

The gesture Bernal Miramontes made, pulling at the corners of his eyes to mimic Asian facial features, is one of the most universally recognized forms of anti-Asian mockery.

Yoon Su-jin, who posts under the handle @inocat_t, uploaded the clip on the same day it happened. The video spread rapidly across platforms, drawing condemnation from viewers in Mexico and internationally. Mexican internet users were among the first to push back, with many posting apologies on Yoon’s behalf and demanding accountability from Bernal Miramontes.

CITGEJ confirmed Bernal Miramontes’s removal from his leadership role following the incident. The professional organization, which represents geomatics and topographic surveying engineers in the Mexican state of Jalisco, apparently decided that the optics of keeping him in charge were untenable.

A pattern bigger than one person

The broader cultural discussion in Mexico around this incident has been revealing. The response from Mexican social media users was not defensive or dismissive. It was overwhelmingly apologetic and self-critical. Many commenters acknowledged that the gesture reflects attitudes that remain too common and used the moment as an opportunity for public introspection rather than circling the wagons.

What this means going forward

For Yoon Su-jin, the question she posed in her video title, “Am I too sensitive?,” became a rallying point. The overwhelming response validated her decision to document and share the moment rather than quietly endure it.

For professional organizations watching from the sidelines, the lesson is blunt: your leaders represent you everywhere, not just in the office. A racist gesture at a soccer match is still a racist gesture when it goes viral with your name and title attached. CITGEJ’s decision to act quickly rather than wait for the news cycle to pass was arguably the only viable option, but it still required organizational willingness to prioritize principle over institutional inertia.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.