The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, led by Chancellor Juan Ramón de la Fuente, received Marcos Gómez and Arturo Zacarías, Mexican members of the crew of the ship 'Galaxy Leader,' which was hijacked by Houthi militants from Yemen on November 19, 2023. The release of both took place in Oman and was made possible thanks to the efforts of the government and support from various friendly countries.
Present at the reception meeting were the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, María Teresa Mercado, the Ambassador of Mexico to Saudi Arabia, Aníbal Gómez Toledo, and the General Director for Europe, Octavio Tripp, whose diplomatic work was crucial for achieving the release of the Mexicans. The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs reported that since the ship's capture, there had been intense diplomatic activity, establishing contacts with countries such as Iran, Qatar, and entities like the UN and the Red Cross.
After the release on Wednesday, January 22, it was reported that Gómez Jerez and Zacarías Meza were able to speak frequently with their families and received a visit from the honorary consul of Mexico in Yemen to ensure their good health and receive dignified treatment. The release of the crew of the 'Galaxy Leader' was conditioned by the Houthi leadership on a ceasefire and improvements in conditions in Gaza, being facilitated thanks to the agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The hijacking of the ship was a result of prior missile and drone attacks by the Yemeni Houthis in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The release of the Mexicans was made possible thanks to the diplomatic work and efforts made by the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and the support of allied organizations and countries.
