Mexico complains of flag abuse on Australian show

MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Reuters) The Mexican government has complained to Australia's media regulator after contestants on the ''Big Brother'' television show threw goo-filled balloons at the Mexican flag as part of a game.

During the show's ''Mexican Night'' challenge aired last Friday, contestants dressed in mariachi outfits played musical chairs and ate chili con carne -- a dish almost unknown in Mexico -- to win points.

One of the rounds of the game showed a team protecting the Mexican flag against slime balloons thrown by a rival team.

The flag displayed the Mexican national symbol -- an eagle devouring a snake on top of a cactus -- in the middle but had the green, white and red colors in the wrong order.

In a letter to the Australian Communications and Media Authority and production company Endemol Southern Star, Mexico's Foreign Ministry complained about the ''offensive'' use of the country's flag.

''(We) demand they take adequate measures to avoid this type of incident in the future,'' the ministry said in a statement.

On a forum at the ''Big Brother'' Web site, one post read: ''I was in disbelief that one of the games was throwing whatever at the Mexican flag! I'm not Mexican but I found this really offensive and disrespectful.'' Mexican authorities are extremely protective of national symbols and have a strict code about when, where and how to use them.

Two years ago, authorities prompted crooner Luis Miguel, one of the best-known singers in the Spanish-speaking world, to change the background of one of his albums that used a sepia-colored flag, deeming it improper.

Another well-known singer and funnyman had to pay a fine for forgetting the lyrics of the national anthem before a huge audience at a top-notch boxing match in 1989.

REUTERS PDS BST0513