Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN
This is the moment the Mexican Ambassador to Argentina is allegedly caught slipping a Casanova biography into a newspaper in a book shop to try to steal it.
Local media report ambassador Oscar Ricardo Valero Recio Becerra, 76, was caught allegedly trying to steal a biography of Casanova in the El Ateneo book shop in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
The incident reportedly took place on 26th October but has only recently been published in local media.
In the video, Becerra can be seen with a newspaper under his right arm, he then picks up a book and appears to put it inside the newspaper.
Local media report he then dropped the newspaper off in an area of lockers where customers can keep their belongings.
He then went back into the shop and bought some CDs. However, when he then allegedly tried to walk out of the shop with the newspaper the alarms reportedly went off and the security guards stopped him.
As he could not produce a receipt for the book the ambassador was reportedly kept in the shop until the police arrived.
After revealing who he was Becerra was reportedly released as he has diplomatic immunity. Local newspaper Infobae report he had been trying to steal the biography of Giacomo Casanova written by Guy Chaussinand-Nogaret, which costs around 590 ARS (7.48 GBP)
The Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard has confirmed the Ethics Committee is analysing the case and if the video is found to be genuine Becerra will be removed from his post immediately. Becerra has reportedly been told to go home.
Becerra was the Mexican ambassador in Chile from 2001 until 2004, after which he left politics until current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador selected him for his post in Argentina.
Casanova was an 18th-Century figure who is known in popular culture as a womaniser, boasting well over 100 ‘conquests’. In recent years, his life has come under scrutiny as one of amorality, amid claims that he raped women, had sex with minors and even potentially fathered his own grandchild.
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