UK’s ambassador to Mexico ‘sacked after pointing gun at staff’
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not officially announced Jon Benjamin’s position.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The UK’s ambassador to Mexico was sacked earlier in the year after he was caught on video pointing an assault rifle at a local embassy employee, it has been reported.
According to the Financial Times, Jon Benjamin was on an official trip to two Mexican states with a high presence of drug cartels when he picked up a gun in the vehicle he was travelling in and pointed it at an employee.
A video which purports to show the incident was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by an anonymous user, who writes alongside the video: “In a context of daily killings in Mexico by drug dealers, he dares to joke.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not officially announced Mr Benjamin’s position. However, the Government’s official website states that he “was UK ambassador to Mexico between 2021 and 2024”.
According to the website, Mr Benjamin “joined the Diplomatic Service in 1986, and previously represented the British government in Chile, Ghana, Turkey, Indonesia, and the United States, during his 35-year career”.
The FCDO said in a statement: “We are aware of this incident and have taken appropriate action.
“Where internal issues do arise, the FCDO has robust HR processes to address them.”
Since mid-April Rachel Brazier has been chargee d’affaires at the British Embassy in Mexico City, a role where a diplomat serves as an embassy’s chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador.