Nuevo Laredo Municipal Police detained while helping pregnant US citizen

Eight Policemen of the Directorate of Public Safety, (Policia Municipal) were detained last night by US Customs Agents, after giving assistance to an American Citizen who was about to give birth in Nuevo Laredo.

Shortly before 2000 hours last night, officers assigned to patrol unit SC-111 were on routine patrol in the central business district when they observed and American citizen calling for help.

Santa Villegas, 20, was sitting in one of the benches of the Plaza Juarez in the first stages of delivering a baby.

Patrol officers called for an ambulance to transport Villegas to a local hospital, but she refused, indicating she wanted to be taken to the US side of the International Bridge number One.

Because of her desire to be taken to the US side and the urgency of the matter, the 8 officers transported Villegas across the bridge to US Customs.

An ambulance arrived to take Villegas to a local Laredo hospital but the Nuevo Laredo officers were in for an unpleasant surprise.

Instead of being congratulated by their US counterparts for their efforts to assist a US citizen, they were immediately detained for crossing the border with their weapons and without proper documentation.

The uniformed officers, Juan Cesar Guardado, Cornelio Vasquez Gomez, Eleazar Delgado Hernandez, Julian Garcia Mendez, Jose Mario Gutierrez Rodriguez, Otoniel Martinez Morales and Elena Porras Mer, were detained on the American side by Texas authorities for more than an hour.

Commanders from the Nuevo Laredo Directorate of Public Safety responded to the American side and after several minutes of discussion, the eight officers were allowed to return to Nuevo Laredo.

“Me llamó la atención ver a los oficiales del otro lado, yo soy de la ciudad de México, me sorprendió verlos allá con todo y patrulla, cuando me enteré lo que había ocurrido, me dio gusto, esas cosas nos hacen sentir orgullosos de ser mexicanos, lo importante era ayudar a la señora, sin importar tanta burocracia” said Blanca Ducloux,

“Proud to be a Mexican helping a citizen from the other side” said Blanc Ducloux.

Indeed! It makes me ashamed that these officers were treated in such a fashion after going out of their way to help an American Citizen. They could well have ignored her cries for help and left her there to give birth to the baby on the park bench!

Related posts:

1. Mexican Cross Border Pilot Program officially underway as first Mexican truck arrives at Laredo