This story is so funny on so many levels that I have problems taking it seriously. A Mexican official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, was caught stealing the BlackBerries of US officials at the White House.
Whether he was up to no good or simply desperate to play BrickBreaker, a Mexican press attaché was caught on camera by Secret Service pocketing several White House BlackBerries during a recent meeting in New Orleans, FOX News has learned.
Sources with knowledge of the incident said the official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, served as the lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation and was responsible for handling logistics and guiding the Mexican media around at the conference. He took six or seven of the handheld devices from a table outside a special room in the hotel where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush earlier this week.
Everyone entering the room was required to leave his or her cell phone, BlackBerry and other such devices on the table, a common practice when high-level meetings are held. American officials discovered their missing belongings when they were leaving the session.
It didn’t take long before Secret Service officials reviewed videotape taken by a surveillance camera and found footage showing Quintero Curiel absconding with the BlackBerries.
Wait, it gets better:
He initially denied taking the devices, but after agents showed him the DVD, Quintero Curiel said it was purely accidental, gave them back, claimed diplomatic immunity and left New Orleans with the Mexican delegation.
It is unclear what disciplinary measures, if any, await him in Mexico. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino refused to discuss the incident, telling FOX News, “We are aware of the situation, but as it’s under investigation by law enforcement officials, we will decline to comment.”
Yeah it was all a big misunderstanding. I though the BlackBerry holding receptacle was like a candy dish where everyone was free to take some. And then he invoked diplomatic immunity. That’s hysterical!
I am so keeping an eye on my BlackBerry around Mexicans now.
3 Comments
April 27, 2008 at 1:54 am
I think it was a collaborated between Rafael Q. and all the White House staff to get there BlackBerrys replace with new iPhones.
April 27, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Chris, look, this imbecile pocketing the Blackberries deserves misery, but that does not give you the right to tell me that my Blackberry is safer in your presence than mine in yours. So, when you state “I am so keeping an eye on my BlackBerry around Mexicans now” it is as stupid as saying that any person associated to the NRA will blast a building if somebody takes away his or her rifle. See what I am getting at?
Read about labeling theory and keep yourself within the realm of those that are educated.
Will you be honorable and publish my note? I am sure you will, cause you are not like that imbecile of the BlackBerries.
May 9, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Hey Chris, I am Mexican and I am not like Rafael Quintero Curiel? he is one of a kind, but have you been to Mexico? or somewhere else that is not the USA? The whole world has technology, EDGE is not a service just for your country, every country has that technology (that I know), just in Mexico is not called “EDGE” but “3G” and is the same thing, if you see further, Mexico is not a really undeveloped country, we have problems, it starts on education and politicians who just think on their own fortune, but is totally not a undeveloped country, we have what all other countries have, just we need a better government and a better education system, like your country we have a lot of really impressive educated people, we have like yours Hillbillies, White Trash, Red Necks, just we call them different, but is exactly the same, like yours that you had the English conquer your land we had the Spanish conquer ours, the difference, is that The English really killed a lot more Indians (Native Americans) way more than the Spanish government that leave a lot of more “Native Americans” alive (and they are difficult to control to build a better nation as you probably know the Native Americans still think America is they land and we stole it from them) so, yes it has been a problem since the Independence and the Revolution.
There is a lot of Mexicans really educated, Like probably you. I can think that you are a descendent from a European, Asian or African? I can say that my great grand father was Austrian, and my other grand father was Greek and my grand mothers were Spanish both, so that leaves me as what?, I born in Mexico and my dad and mom are Mexicans but my blood is not Mexican.
Any way I really feel like a Mexican and I do love my country and I like to see my country in a couple of years like a world potency, you will see we will get there.