THE MARS VOLTA - MARS VOLTA GUITARIST SLAMS MEDIA OVER 'TERRORIST' REPORTS

MARS VOLTA GUITARIST SLAMS MEDIA OVER 'TERRORIST' REPORTS

THE MARS VOLTA guitarist OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ has slammed the media for drumming up mass hysteria during the swine flu outbreak, insisting the exaggerated reports are "an act of terrorism" against Mexico.
The recent medical crisis is believed to have started in the country and has caused film projects, premieres and tours to come to a screeching halt as movie and music bosses await an end to the pandemic.
And the Puerto-Rican born musician, who has adopted Mexico as his home, blames harsh and unfair media coverage for crippling the country's economy.
He tells NME.com, "It's not the hysteria that the right-wing media are making you think it is. It's less dangerous than a common cold. This has been a perfect moment for right-wing republican media to say, 'You see! You see these filthy people? You see what they're doing? This is very scary!' It's another act of terrorism, it's another terrorist tactic.
"When you get your facts straight, there's more infected people in the United States - in New York - than in all of Mexico City... and New York has not issued an emergency. They have not shut down.
"We had to shut down because of the way it was being shown in the media and the way that the world was paying attention. But the fact of the matter is that it's (swine flu) completely treatable and more people have died from the common flu."