MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico’s presidential TV debate overshadowed by stunning Argentine model in the studio

The 25 seconds of Playboy September 2008 bunny of the month will be remembered, not necessarily what was debated

Mexico presidential candidates’ positions and policies during Sunday’s televised debate were overshadowed by the low-cut dress worn by an Argentine model that was present as an assistant for scarce 25 seconds.

Julia Orayen, who appeared on the cover of the September 2008 issue of Playboy Mexico, was unknown for the majority of Mexicans until Sunday night.

The busty model’s 25 seconds on television distributing materials to the four presidential candidates landed her on the front pages of newspapers and led to her spending Monday giving interviews to various media outlets.

All of the fuss was because she wore a tight dress criticized by many for being cut too low and inappropriate for the event, while others praised her choice of attire.

Ms Orayen appeared on national television wearing a long, tight, white, low-cut dress at the start of Sunday night’s debate.

The Mexican Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, which organized the debate ahead of the July 1 presidential election, was forced to issue a statement apologizing for “the production mistake associated with the attire” of the production assistant.

The IFE “offers its apologies to the citizens and to the female candidate (Vazquez Mota) and the other candidates for the presidency,” Peña Nieto, Lopez Obrador and Quadri, the statement said.

Orayen, who describes herself as Argentine-born but “with a Mexican heart,” said she selected the outfit and nothing was mentioned about her choice of attire before she went on stage.

The model was hired by the production company selected to put together the televised debate. The production company also apologized for failing to supervise Orayen’s attire, blaming the mistake on “the craziness” of the moment.

Orayen said in an interview that she never considered at any time that her dress might be inappropriate and was concerned about too many other things to give the matter much thought.

The model, however, insists it was an innocent mistake and that she sees nothing inappropriate about the dress, which she described as one she likes even though it “opened up a lot.”

“It looked good, I think it left no doubts for anybody,” Orayen said. “In a place like that, whatever you wear is going to be criticized. Whatever I wore, they would have said something.”

“For me, it’s not degrading for women any way you look at it,” the model said, adding that no one sent her “to draw away attention” from the debate.