A Colombian family, intending to enjoy a vacation in Mexico, was detained at Cancun International Airport, where they allegedly faced humiliation and mistreatment by Immigration officials. According to one family member, they spent two days detained in a room before being deported.
Marcela Toro shared her experience on social media, detailing the ordeal she endured with her husband, children, father, family, and friends on January 15, 2025.
Detained Upon Arrival
Upon arriving in Cancun, the family decided to approach the Immigration window as a group, since they all had the same reservation and flight tickets. However, the official asked them to separate into three groups, which marked the beginning of their ordeal. Among the group were two American nationals.
When Marcela approached the window, the official asked for their return plane tickets to Colombia. Marcela showed the tickets on her cell phone, which were for January 22, her birthday, along with their hotel reservations. The official then directed Marcela and her group to a room labeled “Immigration,” where they waited for about 15 minutes until the official returned with their passports and informed them they needed to undergo a second interview.
A Favorite Destination Turned Nightmare
Marcela explained that they had traveled to Cancun multiple times before without any issues. However, this time, her father’s group was allowed to pass “normally,” while the others were required to fill out a document with their personal information in the Immigration room.
During individual interviews, an Immigration official asked each person their name, occupation, and whether they carried cash. At the end of the interviews, they were informed that they would not be allowed to enter Mexico and would be returned to Colombia. The officials did not provide a clear reason for the decision, only stating that their reservation numbers were not answering calls.
Confiscated Phones and Hunger
From the moment they entered Immigration, their cell phones were confiscated. Each person was allowed a five-minute call, but only Marcela’s sister, who had purchased Roaming, was able to contact their father and inform him of the situation.
Marcela and her two young children, aged seven and four, along with her sister’s baby, were detained in a room. They had not eaten since leaving Colombia at 2:30 AM and arrived in Cancun at 3:00 PM. Despite requesting food for the children, the Immigration workers responded with offensive and humiliating words, promising food “in a little while,” which turned into long hours.
Desperate Measures
Marcela recounted the devastating moment when her hungry children began eating leftovers from a box left by other detainees. She described the conditions as “horrible,” with no blankets, pillows, soap, or toilet paper in the bathrooms. They were given a sandwich, a bottle of water, and juice for dinner and breakfast, but Marcela did not receive her breakfast.
When she refused to sign for the delivery of breakfast she had not received, an Immigration official allegedly yelled at her, prompting her to sign.
Consulate Intervention
Finally, a friend managed to contact a relative who called the Colombian Consulate. The Consulate contacted Immigration in Cancun and later spoke with Marcela. She informed them of the mistreatment and lack of communication. The Consulate informed her that Immigration was obliged to provide information about their return flight to Colombia, which was scheduled for 9 PM that night.
Source: El Tiempo
