2011 Chilean pen incident

The 2011 Chilean pen incident is the alleged "theft" of a ceremonial pen that occurred on 4 April 2011, by Václav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic. The event took place during a state visit to the presidential palace La Moneda in Santiago de Chile while Klaus was sitting beside Chilean President Sebastián Piñera. Klaus picked up the pen, encrusted with semi-precious blue stones, and proceeded to place it under the desk (and out of view) and, subsequently it has been alleged to be put into one of his pockets. A commented shot with actions highlighted by red circles was published by in the evening of Sunday April 10 as a curiosity at the close of the weekly programme "168 hodin" (168 Hours) and consequently on YouTube and has propelled the incident and Klaus himself into international spotlight, with widespread coverage by news media. video footage of the incident has been viewed almost 5 million times on YouTube. Both Czech and Chilean presidential office maintain that the pen was in fact a gift to Klaus. while the Kansas City Star has called it an "international event". Klaus's spokesman Radim Ochvat said that the pen was "a common pen with a logo of the state or office, which presidents and members of their delegation receive during state visits."
Facebook campaign
A campaign was launched on Facebook to mail the President pens. Marquand (Christian Science Monitor) confirmed this, writing "many Czechs believe the proper protocol involves gestures done above, not below, the table. A Facebook campaign is underway to send Klaus a shower of pens, "as the president obviously has nothing to write with.""
20 years of kleptomania prank
Czech weekly Reflex published a prank article, in which Klaus supposedly admitted, that he has suffered from kleptomania for past 20 years, and that he is currently undergoing psychiatric treatment. A major Slovak television broadcaster JOJ took the prank seriously, and brought this as a serious information in its prime time news relation.
Statement by Klaus
Klaus has denied any wrongdoing, saying what American media wrongly translated as "All I have to say, it is not a pen but just a stylus .. it is what people do regularly. They keep notepads and pen from such events". However Czech newspaper Právo subsequently brought information of Paola Elbieto, Chilean president's La Moneda Palace spokeswoman, that the pen was a priced artistic product from Chilean jewellery manufacture. It was made from a semi-precious stone lapis lazuli and decorated with ornaments. When asked what is usually done with such a pen, the spokeswoman kept silent.

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