라고 여기다

regard something as X

The quotative "-(이)라고" marks what something is taken to be, and 여기다 supplies "consider, regard". It is how you say a thing is viewed a certain way: not seen as Mexican food, regarded as uniquely human, taken as insulting, reckoned a profitable deal even if you get caught. It often appears passive — 여겨지다, 여겨졌던 — for what people in general think. Compared with 생각하다 "think", 여기다 implies a settled judgement or attitude, and the lines here lean toward news and commentary rather than chat.

Register: somewhat formal; news and commentary