Britain’s ambassador to Mexico was sacked earlier this year after pointing an assault rifle at an embassy employee, it has emerged. It is understood Jon Benjamin was on a visit to the Durango and Sinaloa regions of the country, which are plagued by drug cartels.
A video shared online appears to show Mr Benjamin handling the weapon inside the vehicle he was travelling in and point it towards a colleague sitting on the back seat.
Sources told the Financial Times Mr Benjamin was sacked as Britain’s ambassador not long after the incident in April.
The footage was posted on X from an anonymous account which the same publication reports is apparently controlled by embassy staff furious at the way local staff were treated.
It appears to show Mr Benjamin in the front passenger seat with the gun in his hands, turning it towards a person sitting in the back seat. The vehicle appears to be stationary at that point in time.
The person in the back seat, whose face has been blurred, raises their hand in what possibly appears to be a gesture of disbelief. Giggling can also be heard in the background, though it is not clear from whom.
The anonymous account captioned the clip: “In a context of daily killings in Mexico by drug dealers, he dares to joke”.
According to the FT, it is typical for foreign officials to travel with armed guards for protection when visiting dangerous parts of Mexico.
Mr Benjamin has been approached via LinkedIn for comment.
A career diplomat of 35 years, Mr Benjamin joined the Diplomatic Service in 1986, and represented the UK Government in Chile, Ghana, Turkey, Indonesia and the US. He has also directed an academy for foreign service workers. Mr Benjamin became Britain’s ambassador to Mexico in August 2021.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the FT: “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.”
Express.co.uk has also approached the FCDO separately.
