U.S. confronts Mexico over funeral

MEXICO CITY — The U.S. Embassy on Tuesday sent a diplomatic note demanding to know why Mexican troops interrupted the Mexican funeral of a U.S. Marine who died in Iraq.

This country responded by saying it had an obligation to make sure its laws weren’t being broken.

Mexican soldiers with automatic weapons disrupted the graveside burial of Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez on Sunday in his hometown of San Luis de la Paz, after taking issue with nonworking, ceremonial rifles carried by two Marines who traveled from the United States to take part in the funeral.

Lopez, 22, was killed in an ambush in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, on June 21.

U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza said Sunday he was “outraged” by the interruption and in a statement released Tuesday, he said he had “respectfully requested an explanation of why, despite our coordination and compliance with the instructions of Mexican authorities, military personnel of Mexico interrupted the ceremony and made demands that were inconsistent with our diplomatic protocol.”

“This should have been an opportunity not only to honor a hero, but also for Mexico to honor one of its own sons,” the ambassador said.

Marines originally wanted to conduct a traditional 21-gun salute during the funeral in San Luis de la Paz, where Lopez was born.