The student considers that the differential cost for nationals and foreigners was an act of “discrimination.”
A French journalist caused a strong controversy on social networks by complaining about the differential prices paid by nationals and foreigners at the National Museum of Colombia, located in Bogota, despite the fact that this policy is common in other parts of the world.
Guylaine Roujol, who in addition to being a journalist and student at the Sorbonne presents herself as a “writer, vegetarian, animalist,” decided not to cover the 48,000 pesos ($10) that foreign citizens must pay in protest at what he considered an act of “discrimination” and “xenophobia”.
He also said he felt “humiliated”, “despised” and treated as “silly”and that “Colombians should learn what equality is”which generated a cascade of reactions from users who explained that he was exaggerating, while others limited themselves to mocking his complaints.
What a beauty of reform yours @PatriciaArizaF ! I can’t believe it. This morning I wanted to go to the National Museum. It turns out that I did not enter because I was discriminated against for the sole fact of being French. Not because of the employees, who all behaved super well, kind and understanding. I open thread. pic.twitter.com/xxCkxByjVx
— Guylaine ROUJOL (@GuylaineRoujol) January 15, 2023
In her message, the journalist captivated the Colombian Minister of Culture, Patricia Ariza Florez, and began by praising the remodeling of the National Museum of Colombia, which was created in 1823 and is one of the oldest in America, but immediately detailed her displeasure with the rates.
“Discrimination is by law in Colombia and I was terrified to see that this comes from a progressive government. In the past, admission was free on Sundays (…) but it is still free for students at public universities. Done! I am a student at a public university which is the Sorbonne in Paris and I showed my card. I study development and cooperation in Latin America. But because I’m French, they wanted to charge me in dollars,” she said.
The French woman says that Colombia owes her a favor because she writes books about the country. But since a museum does not have the rates that she likes, it turns out that we are no longer the source of her research, but a country of shitEven progressive Europeans think colonially pic.twitter.com/RPjRNy8ToB
— C&V (@Ing_E_Hist) January 16, 2023
Roujol considered that the differential prices represent a contradiction in a progressive government such as the one headed by Gustavo Petro and that, in addition, it affects tourism, which at this time could be an important source of income.
“The message this sends us is that because we are foreigners they treat us like fools. I felt humiliated, despised for my condition of not having Colombian nationality (…) In France, no museum makes a fee for the French and another for foreigners (…) this could never happen, “she said.
Several users explained to him that his information is incorrect, since, without going any further, the Louvre Museum also charges lower rates to citizens of the European Union.
A French woman complains because in Colombia they charge her 10 euros to enter a museum and says that she is discriminated against.- If that were the criteria for talking about discrimination, Paris would be the discriminatory epicenter (in the image: the entrance price to the Louvre and discounts). pic.twitter.com/fBf5aYdIr8
– Inda Garcia (@indagar) January 16, 2023
clarifications
“In many museums in the country, foreigners pay more and the natives enter for free, what happened to you is not discrimination, being a researcher you should know that,” a user replied, since the journalist said that she is investigating state crimes by the Colombian Army.
Another clarified that it is very serious that he incorrectly uses the terms of discrimination and xenophobia, especially if, as he says, he is doing academic work at the Sorbonne.
“Are you seriously studying at a university that so many say is wonderful and You don’t know what xenophobia is? That they return the money to you, ma’am, because what a shame,” he said.
Several reminded him that almost throughout Europe there are differential rates for nationals and foreigners, not only in museums, but in all types of services, particularly transport, in addition to the fact that there is indeed racism, discrimination and xenophobia against Latin Americans, Africans and Arabs, among others.
#ATTENTION | In accordance with resolution 2683 of December 27, 2022, we present the new entrance fees to the National Museum that will begin to be applied on January 10, 2023. The last Sunday of each month, admission is free during our usual hours of 9 am to 5 p.m. pic.twitter.com/ffTUbjsQsw
– National Museum of Colombia (@museonacionalco) January 4, 2023
“The average foreigner who travels knows that in many countries he pays more for something than a local does not. I do not understand the scandal, it is the most white people problem I’ve seen in a long time,” warned one. “Better go demand your country, here with those cheap shows, nosaid another.
Among the responses, those who warned that the complaint responds to a colonial perspective stood out.
“Words are enlarged to qualify a fact that is normal throughout the world. They are probably used to the privileges that the peoples that were colonies for a long time offer foreigners,” said one user.
“Poor little French oppressed by those powerful Latin American economic interests, that France that has suffered so much exploitation at the hands of the global south and now they come to charge a differential rate just to allow the indolent colochos to maintain a museum“, ironic another.
Source: RT
