An American tourist was assaulted by a taxi driver at Cancún International Airport after attempting to board a private transportation vehicle requested through the Uber app. The incident occurred last Sunday, May 18, and was captured on video by witnesses, prompting a strong reaction on social media and the intervention of authorities.
The recording shows a man aggressively preventing the woman and her companions from boarding the vehicle. The video shows the moment the man hits her, provoking cries of surprise and tension among those present.
After the video went viral, the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Quintana Roo announced in an official statement that it had arrested the alleged assailant.
“Following the publication on social media of a video in which the man is seen assaulting a woman, whom he is trying to prevent from boarding an Uber vehicle, this Social Representative proceeded to arrest him,” the institution reported.
The detainee was identified as Eder Alexis “N,” who worked for a private taxi company located in Terminal 3 of the airport. According to preliminary investigations, his main function was “to ensure that enforcement vehicles do not enter the area and do not pick up passengers, ensuring that only they provide service to tourists.”
In addition to being charged with physical assault, he was also found with prohibited substances during his arrest. “At the time of his arrest, Eder Alexis “N” had among his belongings doses of green, dried marijuana-like weed, as well as small bags containing a substance similar to the drug known as crystal meth,” the Prosecutor’s Office stated.
The suspect was handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine his legal status for assault and drug-related crimes within the constitutionally established timeframe.
The case sparked a wave of outrage among social media users, who demanded justice for the foreign tourist and questioned the violence perpetrated by traditional transportation unions against app drivers.
The Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office stated that it will continue to investigate the case and will not allow acts of violence that affect tourists or residents. “With these actions, the State Attorney General’s Office reaffirms its commitment to zero impunity and to bringing lawbreakers to justice, without distinction,” the statement concluded.
This incident adds to a series of conflicts between traditional taxi drivers and private transportation services like Uber in tourist areas, where competition and regulation still generate friction.
Source: infobae
