The government has prohibited TV commercials for Burger King because they trivialize violence, according to Vice Minister of Public Security Ana Durán.
The commercial, also shown on U.S. television, depicts three mothers seeking to hire a hit man to get rid of the company’s character “the king” because his fast food has captivated their children, turning them away from their home cooking.
The daily La Nación published a letter from an outraged mother. “It’s outrageous that companies like Burger King make commercials using the promotion of killings in this country,” Ingrid Moya Aguilar wrote to the editor.
Miami-based Burger King Holdings Inc. told The Associated Press that company officials have not been notified of Costa Rica’s decision but said the chain is sensitive to cultural and geographic concerns wherever it operates.
