A version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain, and the Government of Mexico wasted no time and used the image of the famous mouse to promote the Mayan Train, one of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s mega-projects in the southeast.
Through the official social networks of the Mayan Train, a black and white image of “Steamboat Mickey” or the “engine driver Mickey” was shared on board the Mayan Train.
“The classics never die. Now they travel on the Mayan Train!” reads the publication made this Tuesday January 16 morning.
Los clásicos nunca mueren
— Tren Maya (@TrenMayaMX) January 16, 2024
¡Ahora viajan en el Tren Maya! 🚆🇲🇽#SúbeteAlTren#TodosSomosTrenMaya#PublicDomain#steamboat#steamboatwillie pic.twitter.com/3Y0hrpYn1P
Internet users criticized the federal government for using Mickey Mouse to promote the train that crosses the Yucatan Peninsula and raised questions about whether The Walt Disney Company could sue for the use of its character.
The version of Mickey is known as “Steamboat Willie” after the name of the short film with which he debuted, which became public domain on January 1, 2024.
Because the Mayan Train team, in charge of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), did not refer to the name ‘Mickey Mouse’ and only used the image of its Steamboat Willie version, now in the public domain, there is no risk of demand.
“Steamboat Mickey” debuted on October 1, 1928, in a black and white short called “Steamboat Willie” and just two weeks ago it entered the public domain so it can be used by people outside of The Walt Disney Company.
With free use, any person or studio can create new stories with the character, but only in the United States. The modern version of Mickey Mouse as well as his name will not become public domain and remain under the protection of the trademark registry, which Disney owns, so they cannot be used commercially by another person, studio, or company.
TYT Newsroom