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Mexico suspends consul appointment to Las Vegas over statutory rape case

Posted at 7:59 AM, Oct 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-30 11:00:18-04

Mexico's foreign relations department has suspended the appointment of a consul to Las Vegas after a statutory rape case surfaced accusing him of having a sexual relationship with one of his students.

Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said via Twitter Tuesday he asked the department's ethics committee to investigate the case after reading journalist Dolia Estévez's report.

Estévez described a 2011 case in which Victor Barreras Castro, then 24, was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student. The case included a statement from Barreras' mother saying that her son told her he had done it.

Estévez wrote the case was eventually stayed after the student's parents accepted a payment for damages.

Barreras was named consul in September. Previously, he led a policy and strategy unit at the security ministry.