Duck Steals the Spotlight at Mexico Press Briefing

Wearing the green jersey of Mexico's national soccer team and a FIFA tie, he waddled into the room ahead of President Claudia Sheinbaum, took a seat facing reporters, and quickly became the star of her Monday morning news briefing. Merlín the duck—Mexico's unofficial World Cup mascot—didn't take any questions; his owner, Carla Gómez, did that for him.

• Gómez, a street vendor who sells water and soft drinks, introduced her family with pride and determination, presenting them as representative of countless other working-class Mexicans, the AP reports. "We are the working part" of Mexico, she said.

• Sitting beside the lectern, with Merlín at the center, were her sons, Carlos, 22, and Cristian, 14, who "doesn't rest after school" and helps her every day by selling goods and carrying packages. Merlín, he said, is "the boss of our little business. He's the one who follows behind us, making sure we're working and doing things the right way."
• The family takes great care with the 2-year-old duck's diet, feeding him small fish, crickets, and, on Sundays, even a meat taco. Gómez said she was moved by the way Merlín captured the hearts of World Cup fans. "It has been the best thing that has happened to us in this life," she said, though she noted that other ducks the family had owned also became local celebrities in Mexico City's historic center, including Bruna, who wore tennis shoes.

• Gómez said she believes the family went viral because people saw in them "a hard-working family, a family that gets up every day to make ends meet." The president eventually had to cut off questions to move the news conference along, but not before trying to pet Merlín and posing for a photo with the family.
• Merlin became an internet sensation after Mexico celebrated its World Cup-opening victory over South Africa earlier this month, the AP reports. Images of Merlin parading through Mexico City, wearing a Mexican national team jersey—and socks—as thousands of fans celebrated, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views across social media.
• "We want to see Merlin in the stadium," one user wrote. "This duck is already a national treasure," said another. "The best thing about the World Cup so far," declared a third.