Crew aboard a Volaris Airlines A320 thwarted an apparent hijacking and then continued to their destination of Tijuana on Sunday. The Guardian reported the flight originated in León, Guanajuato, a notorious drug cartel base, and a passenger, identified only as Mario, tried to divert it to the U.S., which is steps away from Tijuana. He reportedly said he feared for his life if he ended up in Tijuana. “The aggressor told [the flight crew] a close relative had been kidnapped and, upon taking off from León, was threatened to be killed if he went to Tijuana,” Volaris said in a statement.
According to a report by El Universal de México, a Mexican leading newspaper, the wife of Mario “N,” the man who tried to hijack a Volaris plane last Sunday to force it to fly to the United States, has asked President Claudia Sheinbaum for help. She explained that her husband’s actions were not planned but caused by a panic attack. She said the panic stemmed from the violence and threats her family has been fleeing.
The woman shared that on December 5, she was kidnapped by a criminal group in their hometown of Pénjamo, Guanajuato, and released the next day after Mario managed to gather the ransom money. After the ordeal, the family decided to flee to Tijuana, hoping to seek asylum in the U.S. However, as they were boarding a flight from León to Tijuana, Mario received a threatening message warning them not to land in Tijuana or they would be killed. Overcome by fear, he tried to divert the flight to the U.S.
Mario’s wife, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she’s been borrowing money from her family while her husband remains in custody. She asked Mexicoo’s President Sheinbaum for protection for herself and her children, saying they have no one to help them in Guadalajara. She also believes her husband needs psychological help, not punishment, for his actions, which she said were caused by the stress of her kidnapping.
She pointed out that her husband has been working legally in the U.S. as a strawberry picker every year and asked authorities to investigate his history there to prove he is not a criminal. Meanwhile, Mario is receiving medical treatment for injuries, including a fractured hip and head trauma, after an accident during his transfer to federal authorities. The accident reportedly happened when he tried to grab the gun of a National Guard officer escorting him.
President Sheinbaum has said the federal authorities will decide the charges against Mario and promised updates on the case.
Mexico is tragically worsening, my reading is that a large portion of illegal emigration to US is run by gangsters. Perhaps Mexico will help a bit by blocking its southern border.
Trump’s tariffs will hurt Mexico as automobiles are made there, Ford’s most reliable car and a 2009 Chevrolet HHR for example, as well as part for aircraft and automobiles.