Metropole · Culture

Key Facts

— The spark. An environmental agency in the State of Mexico listed the caramel-coloured street dog as a national breed, alongside the Chihuahua.

— The reaction. Brazilians, who see the same dog as a national mascot, took to social media in playful outrage.

— Why it stings. In Brazil the caramelo is a beloved icon, stamped on T-shirts, sung about online, and even the star of a Netflix film.