Mexico City , Mexico ( CNN ) -- An American 's cartoon showing the eagle in the Mexican flag dead in a pool of blood is drawing criticism . The sketch created by political cartoonist Daryl Cagle depicts the green , white , and red Mexican flag with a bullet-riddled eagle sprawled in the center of the emblem . Mexico 's coat of arms includes the eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus , devouring a snake . Cagle says he created the cartoon to depict the violence rampant in parts of Mexico . `` Editorial cartoonists look for readily recognizable metaphors and that 's an obvious one for Mexico , '' says Cagle . More than 28,000 people have died in Mexico since President Felipe Calderón declared war on drug cartels after taking office in December 2006 . But the cartoon has offended many Mexicans who feel their national symbol is off limits , especially to foreign cartoonists . Many readers reacted angrily when the cartoon was displayed on the front page of newspapers . `` It is a shame that a patriotic symbol like our flag , which is so beautiful to me , can be mocked by a stupid cartoonist , '' wrote a reader to the Mexico City newspaper El Universal . `` I think there are many other ways to graphically protest what 's happening in our country . '' Ricardo Alday , a spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington , said that `` as any democratic society , Mexico respects and defends freedom of speech and freedom of expression , in any way it 's manifested . Regarding the case of Mr. Cagle 's cartoon , we differ on the use he makes of the Mexican flag and the message it conveys . '' Mexican cartoonist Paco Calderón reprinted Cagle 's cartoon on the Reforma newspaper , adding his own comment . `` I 'm not offended by the cartoon . I 'm offended by reality and the huarache-wearing Taliban members , '' he said . Huarache is a type of a Mexican sandal and Calderón was using the reference to talk about members of the seven drug cartels terrorizing Mexico . Even President Felipe Calderón admits the situation in his country is dire . `` As we all know , we face unscrupulous criminals with enormous economic capacity and great firepower , '' said the president in his fourth state-of-the-nation speech Thursday . `` I am fully aware that in the past year the problem of violence has risen . '' Cagle admits he 's somewhat surprised by the reaction to his cartoon . `` This one has been a little unusual in that it has been splashed all over the press in Mexico and I 've been hearing quite a lot about it , '' he says . Cagle , who is the editorial cartoonist for msnbc.com , says his work appears in 850 subscribing newspapers around the world . `` All I was looking to here is make a statement that the violent in Mexico is terrible and make it visually compelling . '' In 2008 , Mexican pop sensation Paulina Rubio was fined more than $ 4,000 after posing nude wrapped in the flag for Cosmpolitan , a Spanish magazine .
Cartoon depicts man in Mexican flag dead in a pool of blood . American Daryl Hannah created the controversial cartoon . Many Mexicans believe it is about their country , which is beset by terrorism .