Mexican Presidential Press Office/Amanda Macias/Business Insider
On August 15, Peña Nieto participated in a 10-kilometer race in Mexico City - and people couldn't help but notice that the gray patches usually placed on the heel of his socks were visible near the top of his sneakers.
After Mexico's Presidential Press Office shared more than 2o photos of Peña Nieto, who finished the race in 50 minutes and 48 seconds, internet users began sharing the image of his socks, presumably backwards, with the hashtag "CalcetaGate" or "SockGate."
Three days later, Peña Nieto addressed the scandal by tweeting out a picture of Under Armour socks which feature a gray area on the top portion on each pair.
Supplementing the picture he simply wrote "Clarifying #CalcetaGate."
His attempt to disprove that he dressed like a kindergartner triggered more backlash.
Users were outraged with his speedy response in regards to #CalcetaGate amid longstanding problems like Mexico's notorious drug cartels, blatant government corruption claims, the sharp decline in the nation's peso, and the recent escape of the world's most wanted drug lord, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
Here's Peña Nieto's tweet:
Aclarando el #calcetagate pic.twitter.com/IuhaS7KAG3
- Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) August 19, 2015
And here are some responses:
Having solved most of Mexico's most urgent problems, Enrique Peña Nieto @epn sets out to clarify the #calcetagate pic.twitter.com/2hl3B1VKVN
- Laura Martínez ® (@miblogestublog) August 19, 2015
This tweet translates to: Well, yes El Chapo got away, but I swear that I put my socks on right.
'Bueno, se me fue el Chapo, sí, pero las calcetas les juro que sí me las puse bien'. #calcetagate #EnderezandoElCamino
- Jorge A (@jambc) August 19, 2015
@EPN Thank you for clarifying this, I couldnt sleep thinking on your damn socks! ?? #calcetagate
- a (@DreamingWith5H) August 19, 2015
This tweet translates to: Someone clarify that the country isn't his socks so he doesn't have to put them on in reverse and bring them to the ground.
#CalcetaGate alguien aclare que la patria no son sus calcetas para que la traiga al revés y por los suelos https://t.co/QHbuLCisKr
- ARELLANO_001 (@ivaneduardo01) August 17, 2015