It was supposed to be an adventurous trip to seek the sun, sea, and mysterious Mayan pyramids, but it became a nightmare. When yoga instructor Mirka Bláhová and her friend Iva flew from southern Moravia to Mexico in mid-January, they could hardly wait for the exotic vacation. But their dream did not come true.
Immigration officials in Cancun inexplicably denied them entry into the country and kept them in conditions that the women compare to a disciplinary camp.
This is not an isolated incident, and the Czech embassy is urging caution for tourists heading to Mexico. Tourists complained to the ombudsman about the embassy’s lack of help since they could not contact it. His deputy, Vít Alexander Schorm, handled the matter.
However, the embassy’s fault was not found. On the contrary, it was noted that the Mexican side does not inform or respond to the embassy’s inquiries or comments about the detention of Czech citizens.
Mexico has denied entry to dozens of Czechs in recent months
“The worst thing was the helplessness. They took our phones away. We could not contact the embassy or our loved ones. They kept us in a cold cell at 17 degrees. The scariest thing was the names of people from the Czech Republic and the dashes symbolizing the days,” Bláhová told Právo.
Their planned twenty-day stay was reduced to just one day, after which they were relieved that immigration officials put them on a plane back to Europe.
They have no idea what happened. Both have family, jobs, and a support system in Moravia, and they warned that they had no reason to stay in Mexico. In addition to the necessary documents, each had a return ticket and several bank cards with sufficient funds. They also had proper accommodation arranged in advance.
Immigration officials reportedly did not like their small luggage for such an extended stay; each had only carry-on luggage. “They expected us to have a precise itinerary. During the interview, they even quizzed us about Mayan pyramids, but that was just their game,” Bláhová said.
The paradox is that neither woman received an undesirable stamp on their passport when boarding the return flight. Officials reportedly apologized to them and even asked if they would give “Mexico another chance” next time.