▁of ▁Law ▁of ▁the ▁U NA M , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁France ▁awarded ▁him ▁the ▁Academ ic ▁Pal ms ▁in ▁rank ▁of ▁Commander ▁for ▁his ▁contribution ▁to ▁cultural ▁development . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Mr . ▁De ▁la ▁Madrid ▁received ▁the ▁medal ▁Pic asso ▁Gold ▁( UN ES CO ), ▁for ▁their ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁diffusion ▁of ▁Latin ▁American ▁culture . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ial ▁statements ▁De ▁la ▁Madrid ▁spark ed ▁a ▁controvers y ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁due ▁to ▁various ▁statements ▁he ▁made ▁during ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁journalist ▁Car men ▁Ar iste gui . ▁During ▁the ▁interview , ▁he ▁commented ▁that ▁his ▁choice ▁of ▁Carlos ▁Sal inas ▁de ▁G ort ari ▁to ▁succeed ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁Pres iden cy ▁was ▁a ▁" h uge ▁mistake ", ▁and ▁he ▁l ament ed ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁cor ruption ▁of ▁the ▁Sal inas ▁administration . ▁De ▁la ▁Madrid ▁then ▁directly ▁accused ▁Sal inas ▁of ▁having ▁st olen ▁the ▁money ▁of ▁the ▁President ial ▁sl ush ▁fund , ▁and ▁also ▁accused ▁his ▁brother ▁Ra úl ▁Sal inas ▁de ▁G ort ari ▁of ▁having ▁t ies ▁to ▁drug ▁l ords . ▁ ▁Only ▁two ▁hours ▁after ▁the ▁interview ▁had ▁been ▁broadcast , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁P RI ▁leaders , ▁including ▁Em ilio ▁Gam boa ▁Pat r ón , ▁Ram ón ▁Agu ir re , ▁Francisco ▁Ro jas , ▁and ▁De ▁la ▁Madrid ' s ▁sons ▁En rique ▁and ▁Feder ico , ▁arrived