Héctor Suárez lived under Mexican secret service protection

Héctor Suárez Gomís has revealed that his father, the renowned Mexican comedian Héctor Suárez, lived under official protection from the Mexican secret service for several years until his death in 2020.

The security detail, consisting of four agents, was assigned to Suárez starting in 2017 following death threats stemming from his political satire and critiques of the government. According to his son, the threats included being followed by vehicles without license plates and an incident where a man threatened him with a firearm.

Following public disclosures made by the comedian in interviews, the then-Secretary of the Interior, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, reportedly communicated that the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto considered Suárez “national heritage” and intended to protect him so he could continue his critical work. The protection remained in place through the presidential transition and ended two days after Suárez passed away at age 81.