McAfee Arrested In Guatemala 184
Reports are coming in that John McAfee's on again off again relationship with various law enforcement agencies has finally come to an end. According to interior minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla, he has been arrested in Guatemala after trying to enter the country illegally.
How he was busted... (Score:5, Informative)
An interesting note on how McAfee was busted:
To promote its exclusive access, VICE published a smartphone picture of McAfee with reporter Rocco Castoro. That was a big mistake.
Digitally embedded in the photo was the location where it was taken, and it placed McAfee in Guatemala -- just across the border from Belize. Now the world knew where John McAfee was hiding.
From http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12/06/belize-mcafee-arrest-idINDEE8B501X20121206 [reuters.com]
Oooops... wrong linky... HERE YOU GO... (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57557443/john-mcafee-arrested-in-guatemala-for-illegal-entry/ [cbsnews.com]
Re:All the "bonkers" and "Crazy" talk... (Score:5, Informative)
He spent the last year of his life posting on some pro-drug forum about all the weird shit he was cooking up. He was obsessed with drugs and drug use, about perfecting recreational drugs and inventing new drugs. He's been frying his brain for a while now and this was the inevitable conclusion.
Re:Why... (Score:5, Informative)
McAfee said he would seek political asylum in Guatemala, which has been embroiled in a long-running territorial dispute with Belize. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries...
Re:Why... (Score:5, Informative)
Okay, I know this flies in the face of every movie ever, but in real life a person who is trying to avoid being detained by law enforcement (for something serious, like murder, not just parking tickets or whatnot) generally has to avoid international airports. Ships are almost as bad. That leaves small boats (like, personal sailboats) as the main way to get off the continent. *Buying* a boat, if you don't already have one, is a frighteningly high-profile activity.
So going by land is a fairly logical choice. That limits the possible destinations somewhat. If you go north from the US, you can only go to Canada. It's not particularly easy to hide in Canada. So the logical thing is to go south. You probably don't want to stay in Mexico, because it's directly adjacent to the country you're fleeing. And you definitely don't want to try to cross the Panama canal, because there are only a couple of bridges that cross it, and it would be trivial for someone (like, say, law enforcement) to have them watched.
So you end up in Central America. This gives you a choice of seven countries to hide in, which means anyone who's looking for you has potentially seven distinct local jurisdictions to deal with (eight if they can't be sure you're not still in Mexico), which is an annoying impediment for them and may just buy you a bit of extra time to figure out what to do. Maybe.
There's still a substantial amount of risk, of course. Running from the law is always going to be somewhat risky. And, indeed, he got caught.
Travel Advisory (Score:4, Informative)
Border Areas: A long-standing border dispute between Belize and Guatemala has not been resolved and many areas of the border area are not adequately patrolled. Smugglers, narcotics traffickers and wildlife poachers enter Belize in the shared border region, and there have been incidents of clashes between some of these individuals and Belize military and law enforcement personnel, some of which included the exchange of gunfire. Visitors should avoid trekking or other activities near the Belize-Guatemala border to ensure that they do not inadvertently cross the border into Guatemala. The Embassy cautions U.S. citizens who choose to travel on cross-border public buses between Guatemala and Belize in response to a spike in armed bus attacks by bandits in January 2011. Illegal cross-border activities increase after nightfall. Visitors to the border areas should travel only during daylight.
Belize [state.gov]
CRIME AND SAFETY TIPS: Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Central America. Between January and September 2012, an average of 95 murders per week were reported countrywide in Guatemala. The vast majority of murders do not involve foreigners; however, the sheer volume of activity means that local officials, who are often inexperienced and underpaid, are unable to cope with the problem. Rule of law is lacking as the judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient. Criminals know there is little chance they will be caught or punished as the rate of convictions/resolution are very low.
The number of violent crimes reported by U.S. citizens and other foreigners has remained high and incidents have included, but are not limited to, assault, theft, armed robbery, carjacking, rape, kidnapping, and murder, even in areas of Guatemala City once considered safe.
Guatemala is a country with many different and firmly held local beliefs and customs. Particularly in small villages, residents are often wary and suspicious of outsiders. In the past, Guatemalan citizens have been lynched for suspicion of child abduction, so we recommend that U.S. citizens keep a distance from local children, and refrain from actions that could fuel such suspicions. In addition, U.S. citizens are advised to be aware of and avoid activities that might unintentionally violate a cultural or religious belief. The following recommendations will help residents and visitors alike to increase their safety:
Avoid gatherings of agitated people. Attempting to intervene may put you at risk of attacks from mobs.
Avoid close contact with local children, including taking photographs, especially in rural areas. Such contact can be viewed with deep suspicion and may provoke panic and violence.
Keep informed of possible demonstrations by following the local news and consulting hotel personnel and tour guides. Avoid areas where demonstrations are occurring.
Guatemala [state.gov]
McAfee seems to have cut pretty close to the line in his pursuit of young women in Belize. Not a pedophile. But not someone to be trusted, either. A bizarre visit to John McAfee's pleasure palace in Belize [cnn.com]
Re:Asylum (Score:2, Informative)
He's being "persecuted" in the U.S. as well for skipping out on a trial over a death he caused of a man he accidentally manslaughtered when he allowed the man to ride on a custom hang glider he had developed. Also, we would just probably hand him over if that wasn't the case.
Re:Licensing (Score:3, Informative)