Several cases have been reported by Colombians about irregular processes at Cancun airport.
What was meant to be a dream vacation for Colombian doctors Cristian Iván García Rincón and Luz Yaneth Becerra, along with their 3-year-old son, turned into a bitter experience they described as unfair and xenophobic. The family was denied entry to Mexico after a lengthy and arduous process, during which they felt their rights were violated.
In an interview with Colombian, García Rincón recounted the ordeal they endured at the Mexican airport. They had to wait in line for an hour before being attended to by an immigration official.
“In the immigration area, we stood in line in block 3, which was quite long. It was evident that the treatment of compatriots left much to be desired, as they thoroughly checked not only their documents but also their cell phones and even asked for a bank certificate and the amount of money they had,” García Rincón said.
The official then requested their unlocked cell phones and took them to a “cold” room where they had to sign documents detailing their financial backing in Colombia.
“He checked our cell phones, mainly mine, but I didn’t know what he was looking at. Then he told us he would take us for a second interview to determine if we could enter the country, without giving us any reason,” García Rincón explained.
García also noted that the documents they signed falsely claimed they had access to benefits such as making a call to Migración Colombia, which did not happen.
“I was worried about my family’s dignity, and I felt like crying when I saw my son there, so innocent, a victim of degrading and xenophobic treatment,” he denounced.
Mexican immigration officials eventually told them they could not enter the country and would be deported. They were given their electronic devices only when they were on the plane.
Upon their arrival in Colombia, the doctors were taken to Immigration, where they were informed that no alert had been issued, contrary to what was claimed in Mexico as the reason for their denied entry.
Source: El Pais
