Mexican president says his country is world's leading cultural power

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday declared his country to be the foremost cultural power in the world, praising its ethnic and culinary diversity and international appeal.

Lopez Obrador, a veteran leftist, has overseen a vigorous drive to recover historical artifacts from former European colonial powers and traveled to every corner of Mexico during years of campaigning for the presidency, which he won in 2018.

"I'll keep saying it until it's internalized, because they were manipulating us for centuries. Mexico is the first cultural power in the world. Mexico, our country," he said after being asked during a press conference about Mexico City topping a recent Time Out poll on the best cities worldwide for culture.

"There is no other country, with all due respect," he added.

After mentioning China and India as possible rivals, he explained that Mexico had a mosaic of 60 cultures and ethnicities and a potent legacy in science, astronomy and mathematics.

"You don't have that elsewhere. Where is there such a variety of foodstuffs, foods, dishes that there are in the country?" the 70-year-old president said.

Mexico's population of around 130 million is just a fraction of that of China and India, which have more than 1.4 billion people each.

Lopez Obrador said earlier this year that Mexico is safer than the United States, although its homicide rate is around four times higher than its northern neighbor.

He also demanded apologies from Spain and the Vatican for human rights abuses committed during the 16th century conquest of the Aztec Empire under Hernan Cortes and his local allies.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Paul Simao)