“In cases of confrontations our country prefers reconciliation. We advocate mutual understanding, tolerance and we hope that those who visit our country, where peace and tolerance is advocated, will act in this manner. I reject and condemn any insulting conduct or gesture that implies physical or moral violence,” the Uruguayan FM said, referring to Cavusoglu’s Grey Wolves salute.

During a visit to Uruguay, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mocked demonstrators outside the Turkish diplomatic representation who gathered to demand recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the eve of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

A video posted on Twitter shows how demonstrators were shouting “asesino” – meaning murderer in Spanish, when Cavusoglu exited the building and was about to be driven away. Then, Cavusoglu is seen smiling and making the gesture of the ultranationalist Turkish Grey Wolves organization, taunting the demonstrators.

The gesture used by the Turkish ultra-nationalists was banned in Austria in 2019. In Germany, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany and the Left party also proposed to ban the use of the symbol, describing it as fascist.