Miles of fans celebrate the days of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and no one is oblivious to celebrating big in the streets of Doha, prior to the matches. However, a story caught the attention on social media: Did a Mexican fan receive lashes for smuggling alcohol into the country? This is what we know:
Through a viral video spread on TikTok, fans and internet users saw how a Mexican tourist bypassed the controls of the Doha Airport to smuggle hidden liquor; he was always seen wearing the Mexican team jersey. It is worth mentioning that the clip was recorded on November 19.
Due to the prejudices about the Qataris, the sheikhs, and the harshness of the laws in the Middle East, it was thought that the incident would come with severe punishment: "Whips, jail, or deportation from the country," read the comments.
So far, there is no record that the Qatari authorities have identified the fan, who proudly showcased the bottle of liquor into the Arab country: "Smuggling alcohol to Qatar," reads the description of the footage, whose protagonist 'Agustín Jaramillo' would be the brother of the account owner.
"Mr. @m_ebrard (Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs), my brother Agustín Jaramillo traveled to Qatar for the World Cup. The authorities of that country keep him incommunicado and the last thing we heard is that he will receive 30 lashes in a public square in Doha. We beg for your intervention," would have been the tweet that generated controversy, but in the end, it would all be a joke.
Hachimexican fan did not receive lashes in Qatar, according to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Through Twitter, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself denied the fact, however, it did spread the helpline numbers in case Mexicans see their rights violated: "Protection 1: + 974 4012 0586":
"Regarding the alleged detention of a Mexican person for smuggling alcohol into Qatar, the relevant authorities indicate that they have not made any arrests," the entity comments on this viral anecdote in the World Cup country.