British ambassador to Mexico ‘sacked for pointing assault rifle at staff’

The UK’s ambassador to Mexico was sacked for pointing an assault rifle at a local embassy employee, it’s been reported.

Video footage shows Jon Benjamin sitting in the front seat of a car and directing the weapon towards a person sitting in the back in what appears to be a joke.

Laughter and music can be heard in the background as the employee makes a hand gesture suggesting they’re uncomfortable.

At the time of the incident, sometime earlier this year, Mr Benjamin was on an official trip to two Mexican states where there is a high presence of drug cartels, the Financial Times reports.

An anonymous user posted the video on X, formerly Twitter, writing alongside it: ‘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 that Mr Benjamin was removed from his position.

However, the government’s official website states that he ‘was UK Ambassador to Mexico between 2021 and 2024’.

Jon Benjamin pointing an assault rifle at an embassy employee

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.’

The employee looks uncomfortable in the clip

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.

Mr Benjamin caused controversy in 2012 while he was the UK ambassador to Chile, the MailOnline reports.

He was forced to issue an apology after posting a derogatory football tweet about Argentinians and the Falklands War – which he said was supposed to be a private message.

He wrote: ‘What were the islands that they took, from whom and for what reason? Maybe I’ll get to know at the National Stadium this Tuesday? I’ve already got my ticket.’

Mr Benjamin joined the diplomatic service in 1986

His tweet, which caused a huge outcry in Argentina, referred to a lewd football song sung be Chileans mocking Argentinians over the islands.

Mr Benjamin deleted the post and said: ‘I’m sorry I offended with a private message that I published by mistake.

‘I feel great affection for my Argentine friends and respect for their national side.’

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