Friday, April 4, 2025

Residents bring down drone believing it was spreading COVID-19

Residents of Soledad Atzompa, Veracruz, were alarmed to see a drone passing over their area, so alarmed that they brought down the unmanned aircraft, destroyed it, took some state employees hostage and set fire to five government vehicles.

It appears that the residents were moved to aggression by the belief that the drone was spreading COVID-19.

In reality, the aircraft belonged to the state Public Security Ministry (SSP) and was brought in by the state search commission to look for hidden graves in Soledad Atzompa, a municipality in the mountainous central region of the state.

But to the furious locals, drones were not a familiar sight and the assurances of government personnel failed to inspire confidence. After destroying the drone, residents took state search commission employees hostage and when more state officials arrived to control the situation, their vehicles were set on fire.

“Authorities of this ministry initiated dialogue with the dissenting residents, which concluded at 9 p.m. when police withdrew from the area,” the SSP said.

The state search commission employees were then released and taken for medical attention.

Community and municipal leaders are to meet with Governor Cuitláhuac García next week, to ask that any government officials with business in the area make their presence known beforehand to avoid future “miscommunications.” The leaders said the state search commission gave no indication that they would be in the area, nor that they would be flying drones.

According to Sixto Cabrera González, a Náhuatl poet and translator from the area, the local residents are peaceful but no longer willing to tolerate having their rights violated. He said the unfortunate events could have been avoided if the government had been open about its activities.

With reports from El Universal and El Sol de Orizaba

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum stands at the presidential podium looking out at an audience off-camera with her fist raised and her mouth open as if cheering. Behind her is a wall with the words in Spanish: Plan Mexico, Strenghtening the Economy and Well-Being, Mexico City April 3, 2025.

Sheinbaum unveils an even more ambitious version of her transformative Plan México

6
Sheinbaum said the projects she announced as part of Plan México will bring about more well-paid employment, less poverty and inequality, greater investment and production and more innovation.
A clear-cut strip of land cuts through the jungle along the Maya Train route in Yucatán

Government promises restoration plan for Maya Train environmental damage

1
Government officials said the track's builders will be responsible for funding a restoration effort that includes reforestation and improving natural migration corridors.
Cans of Cororna Extra beer lying on a bed of large ice cubes

Trump announces new US tariffs on Mexican… beer

15
Mexico didn't end up on Donald Trump's "liberation day" list of enemy countries, although the U.S. did impose tariffs on a surprising Mexican item: beer in cans.