Time magazine mocks Madrid mayor’s gaffe

Botella features in Time's The Year in Mayors' Gaffes list which graded ten poor-performing global city officials from "bad to worst".

She made the list for having "jumbled several answers during a September press conference about her city's (failed) bid for the 2020 Olympics", said the US magazine.

"The speech — and her struggle with English — was panned by local media," the magazine's editors added.

That speech contained the now infamous line: "There is nothing quite like a relaxing cup of café con leche (coffee with milk) in Plaza Mayor".

SEE ALSO: Top ten ghastly gaffes by Spanish politicians

Within Spain, this spawned t-shirts, a Twitter account — @Relaxingcup — and several viral techno music remixes.      

But Botella — the wife of former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar — can take comfort in the fact that some of her global peers committed far more serious gaffes.

San Diego's Bob Filner made the Time list after he resigned in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment of 17 women. After denying all charges, he admitted to three counts.

Topping the list, however, is Toronto's mayor Rob Ford who has admitted to buying illegal drugs and smoking crack cocaine.

Meanwhile, Spain can take comfort in that it boasts the world's best mayor. Bilabao's Iñaki Azkuna was awarded the 2012 gong by The City Mayors Foundation for his work in Facebook and Twitter.