In the French town of Saint-Romain-en-Gal this week, distraught Mexican curators started packing 200 ancient art objects to be shipped back to their country before they could be seen by the public. Meanwhile, ten massive statues by Mexican artist Rivelino, which were to have traveled by boat down the Seine, remained stranded in Rotterdam. These are just some of the consequences of a diplomatic imbroglio that has pitted Mexico and France against each other, and has threatened the artistic events surrounding the celebration of France's Year of Mexico.

The crisis began far outside of the art world, when French citizen Florence Cassez lost her appeal in a Mexican court and was sentenced to 60 years in prison on kidnapping charges. Her attorneys and the French government both call this a miscarriage of justice and say that there were significant irregularities in the 36-year-old's arrest and trial. At the very least, they maintain that international agreements stipulate that she should be transferred in France to serve her sentence. According to Time magazine, many international observers agree that the trial was flawed, though three hostages were freed in a raid on the home that Cassez shared with her Mexican boyfriend, a plot she claims to have known nothing about.

When Mexico refused to consider any of France's objections to the trial, French president Nicolas Sarkozy publicly dedicated the Year of Mexico to Florence Cassez. Mexico accused Sarkozy of turning culture into a political weapon and promptly withdrew from the collaboration. "This is becoming an homage to a kidnapper," fumed Mexican under-secretary of foreign affairs Lourdes Aranda, according to Le Parisien.

For its part, the French government wants to continue with the planned cultural events. Jean-David Lévitte, a diplomatic advisor to Nicolas Sarkozy, said at a press conference on Wednesday that "as for France, its government, and its authorities, we are favorable to maintaining the Year of Mexico." It is, he added, "Mexico's right to decide to say no to the Year of Mexico, and we are disappointed."

Many are not happy about this turn of events. Marc Restellini, director of Paris's Pinacothèque, whose show "Masks of Mayan Jade" has been a casualty of the conflict, told AFP that "without getting involved in the whole debate, I deplore the cultural waste of the cancellation of the Year of Mexico and I want to emphasize the financial difficulties that the businesses who were participating in this cultural event risk encountering." The show of Mayan masks was to be the first of its kind in France, and a great deal of work had already been done to make it happen. The Pinacothèque has filled the resulting gap in programming by moving up "The Imaginary Journey of Hugo Pratt," devoted to the well-known comic book artist. Restellini declined to indicate how much money was lost by his organization.

Meanwhile, according to Libération, financial losses have been caused by the cancellation of an exhibition of Mexican art objects at the archeological museum of Saint-Romain-en-Gal, south of Lyons. Insurance and transportation costs totaling $2.75 million dollars had already been incurred, but they are the responsibility of the Mexican government.

Various French cities participating in the Year of Mexico have reacted to the diplomatic clash in different ways. In the northern city of Lille, the gallery Espace Le Carré decided to keep its independently-financed show of José Guadelupe Posada's engravings open, but removed all traces of the Year of Mexico designation. In Rennes in Brittany, the "Traveling Mexico" film festival will go on as planned. Its organizers wrote in an open letter to the French government that "one cannot ask French and Mexican artists, filmmakers, writers, and researchers to accept being used to create pressure in matters that are the concern of the courts and diplomatic corps."

Toulouse has taken a different tactic, however, and has decided to change the theme of its Rio Loco festival. The city will lose about $165,000 in financing from Mexico, but city officials feel that they've made the right choice. Vincentella de Comarmond, cultural advisor to the mayor's office, said in a statement that "in this tense diplomatic context, important risks threaten the success of Toulouse's cultural events connected with the Year of Mexico."

The fate of several big exhibitions taking place later this year remains uncertain. The Musée d'Orsay is supposed to show "Under the Volcano: Art in Mexico, from Independence to Revolution, 1810-1920" starting October 5. On the same date, the Musée de l'Orangerie is to present a highly-anticipated exhibition of works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and on September 29, the Petit Palais has planned to open a retrospective of Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo.

Museum representatives are anxiously waiting to see what will happen. Mexico has said that it would consider rejoining the event if it is no longer dedicated to Florence Cassez. Meanwhile, the Mexican chamber of deputies has unanimously declared its opposition to the cancellation of the Year of Mexico, and has asked the government to restore dialogue with France.