Belizean Travelling Through Mexico Allegedly Extorted By Mexican Police
On Tuesday night, Belizean-American Eduardo Usher was traveling through Escarcega, Mexico when he was allegedly extorted by Mexican police. Usher spoke to a local TV station in Mexico immediately following the incident where he recounted on camera what took place. He alleged that the officers informed him that his vehicle did not have permission to travel through Mexico and that he would be detained. Usher says he produced the requisite document and even phoned his agency to confirm that he did in fact have the authorization to travel through the country. Notwithstanding the documentations he produced, Usher alleges that the officers searched his pocket and took three thousand pesos from him. Here is a clip from the interview with Usher. We also spoke with Oscar Arnold, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico about the situation.
Eduardo Usher, Belizean Extorted in Mexico
“They put their hands in my pocket and took my money and they took away my keys and all my papers. They then put me in their truck and then they wanted two hundred U.S. dollars. So, they made me open my bank account and since I was not able to do the transaction, they said three thousand pesos was not enough. So, they saw a fifty inch TV in the vehicle and they said they will take the TV. I refused and they then said that they would detain me. They even threatened to punch me. I was very frightened because I was alone”.
Oscar Arnold, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico
“We were made aware of the situation, late if not yesterday evening the day before. We did not receive an official complaint or anything official from Mr. Usher, but I believe a family member sent us the clip that was done by TV Escarcega. We reached out to the station manager of TV Escarcega and they provided limited details to us because, for example the badge number or the license plate of the official who allegedly did the act. But what he informed me is that because of the action of putting it on the media and putting it out there that Mr. Usher was able to receive assistance and get back his property. Several other residents came out to support him and made sure he was well on his way before anything bade happened or anything other than what he said in the video took place. There were some disturbing statements made in there that made us very nervous and worried because we don’t want our nationals to become targets or to be targeted. So, it is something we will be looking at with the state authorities as well.”