Jorge Santini, Mayor Of San Juan, Defends His 'Absurd' Photo On 'Al Rojo Vivo' (VIDEO)

San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini has tried explaining away his bizarre Christmas family postcard on the show, "Al Rojo Vivo."

"It's very simple, everything began with this idea, along with four others, to promote the museum," he said, referring to the San Juan Wildlife Museum.

The show's host Maria Celeste tried her best to hold back laughter and asked, "So, you don't feel bad that a lot of people on the internet are calling this the most absurd Christmas photo of the season?"

"No," he replied. "Some might think the card is absurd but others -- thousands of people -- have sent us superimposed images of themselves and their family on the card. Kids, adults, elders -- everybody! Boricua folklore is unlimited, just like people's imagination."

The sassy young child from the strange Christmas photo looks off into the distance during the interview. And, did anyone catch the heart-shaped dream catcher on the blouse of the mayor's wife?

Fancy.

PHOTOS:

Comments

[richw9090]

09:37 PM on 02/07/2012

Alcalde Santini debe ser felicitado para traer la diversidad maravillosa de la fauna del mundo a este Museo en San Juan.

Richard White, Tucson, Arizona

[jibaros]

09:48 AM on 12/18/2011

Go around the non-tourists areas of San Juan and you see why the major should be investigated by the Federal authorities with rgards to how the state monies are used. Garbage everywhere, homeless people sleeping on the streets, sewers completely shut and dirty and smelly water everywhere. Also why wasn't he investigated when caught in a drug infested neighborhood.... The major is a disgrace to the USA and to the peoples of Puerto Rico....

[arecibo48]

04:23 PM on 12/17/2011

The word in Puerto Rico is that the mayor got just what he wanted, loads of publicity worldwide.

[martinezr]

12:01 AM on 12/17/2011

honestly if he was not the Mayor....and it was givin to his freinds and family it would still be in bad taste...guaranteed that his boricua family ,...or friends would not see it as boricua floklore...and what its there to be funny about a animal being killed?
But the guy is using the states name and position that belongs to the people of San Juan,,,and I guarantee he did not pay for the pictures....

[Gonzalo Aranibar]

11:28 PM on 12/16/2011

LOL they are already selling t shirts about this! http://www.axolotwear.com

[carmenalex]

05:42 PM on 12/16/2011

Can someone please tell the mayor that leopards, gazelles and *sigh*, snowflakes, have nothing to do with Puertorican culture?

[mira chancleta]

05:09 PM on 12/15/2011

Quizas el an~o que viene el alcalde puede traer a Mothra o Godzilla para que se monte toda su familia antes de cojer ala por el Condado o Lloren Torres?

O quizas pa' cojer una vueltita por la Perla o Plaza Las Americas.

Just a thought...

[carmenalex]

05:39 PM on 12/16/2011

LOL!

[octavio311]

07:51 PM on 12/17/2011

Ja!

[Peanut Santiago]

05:01 PM on 12/15/2011

You HAVE to admit....the mayor got noticed with his stunt.

Just saying......

[mira chancleta]

01:47 PM on 12/16/2011

yeah with as much distinction as my dog crapping on the dining room table

[Payned]

04:40 PM on 12/15/2011

I think it's sweet that they were trying to promote the museum.

The end result was a little... odd... but certainly eye-catching.

[jourdankr]

04:21 PM on 12/15/2011

I like the one with the penguin much better.

[Gabriela Guarguagli]

04:21 PM on 12/15/2011

I think this could be calle 'Much to do About Nothing'. The man and his family are promoting this Puerto Rican venue. Not everywhere in the world people have snow slopes to take a pic.
This shows how little tolerance people have from other cultures and even geographical spaces.
Good for the Puerto Rican Mayor and his family!

[mira chancleta]

05:02 PM on 12/15/2011

I hope the baby seals don't own stock in your club factory.
Maybe you can sell them endangered species thigh high boots by Prada.
Just a suggestion.

[MBGarcia]

02:18 PM on 12/15/2011

Al Rojo Vivo...that's the correct title for the show. I don't know what he means by "Boricua folklore" but, in my personal experience, THIS has very little to do with it. As for our sense of the absurd, our sense of humor...that's another thing entirely, but if you are an elected official, the mayor of the capital city, please, can't you stick with something a little less headline-grabbing for a public greeting card? Send this to your friends, Mr. Santini...doing this with an official document (which is what it is...or did YOU pay for it out of your own pocket?) is setting yourself (and the rest of Boricuas) up for ridicule.

[mira chancleta]

05:05 PM on 12/15/2011

Ridiculo es poco...
y aun mono se quedo...
que absurdo y que turco!
Pobre nin~os que tienen que sobrevivir estos "padres" tan brutos.
Dios Mio.
He is NO Felisa Rincon de Gautier is he?

[MBGarcia]

06:25 PM on 12/15/2011

Indeed he isn't...la verdad es que se pasó de cafre...