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Four officers detained, head of Tulum police dismissed after deadly citizen arrest

Tulum, Q.R. — Four Tulum police officers who were part of the arrest team of the El Salvador woman who died, have been detained. All four officers involved were handcuffed and transferred to the Playa del Carmen jail early Monday.

The municipal officers are being criminally charged after witnesses videoed, what is being called, a brutal arrest of the El Salvadorian woman. An autopsy confirmed the arresting technique was the cause of her death.

Since their arrests, the government of Tulum announced the dismissal of its General Director of Public Safety and Municipal Traffic, Nesguer Ignacio Vicencio Méndez.

In a public statement, the head of State Public Security Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez along with Tulum mayor Víctor Mas Tah said “I understand and share the indignation and annoyance of society. We will continue to collaborate with the state government to improve security conditions for our residents and visitors. We want to be clear that our priority is that there is justice for Victoria and her family,” said Mas Tah.

During the public address, Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez proposed Carlos Lázaro Caraveo Vázquez as the new General Director of Public Security in Tulum, a proposal that will be analyzed and if approved, ratified by Tulum City Council.