Inflatable sex doll gift for Chile's economy minister backfires into Twitter debate over sexism

In Chile, a Twitter storm and a presidential slapdown ensued after the country's economy minister Luis Cespedes was presented with an inflatable sex toy as a joke present.

Cespedes was pictured grinning with the inflatable doll when he was given the gift at the annual dinner of the exporters' association Asexma, with the comment pasted across its mouth that it could be used to "stimulate the economy".

Other ministers were also seen holding gifts which included a blond wig akin that looked like the hair of Donald Trump. Alejandro Guiller, who may run for president in 2017, was given a hobby horse "to catch up with the other candidates".

Reuters reported that Asexma traditionally gives its guests at its dinner humorous gifts but the Chile's first female leader, Michelle Bachelet was not amused.

She sent a tweet that was retweeted more than 1,200 times which said: "The fight for respect for women has been an essential principle in my two governments. What occurred at the Asexma dinner cannot be tolerated".

Others said that the incident illustrated how sexist Chilean men were. Political scientist Cristobal Bellolio tweeted: "The event with the Asexma doll proves right those who say that our business world is ignorant and isolationist."

Fantuzzi apologised via Twitter, saying that he had never been his intention to generate violence against women.

Trending on Twitter in Chile on Wednesday (14 December) were 'Ministro de Economia', 'Ministro Cespedes' and 'Roberto Fantuzzi' and also the hashtag #munecainflable, which is the Spanish for inflatable doll.