Cancún, Mexico – In a remarkable development, Argentine tourist María Belén Zerda has been found alive in Cancún after a harrowing twelve days missing. The Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the 38-year-old woman was located on Friday, April 18th, walking near the bustling Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard in the municipality of Benito Juárez. Authorities believe she had been hiding in a jungle area before emerging and being found.
Zerda was reportedly wearing the same clothes she had on when she disappeared on April 6th: a black top, light-colored shorts, and white and green Crocs. She was taken to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Missing Persons for a medical evaluation following her discovery. Officials reported her condition as stable, and her family and the Argentine Consulate in Playa del Carmen were promptly informed.
Overjoyed by the news, Zerda’s brother, Guillermo Zerda, shared his relief with Argentine media after speaking with his sister via video call. “She was calm, very well. She’s fine, she’s not hurt, she just has some scratches from being in the jungle,” he told Infobae. He also indicated that her return to Argentina is being arranged for the near future.
The search for María Belén Zerda had been intensive since a missing person report was filed with the Quintana Roo State Police on April 10th. The activation of the Alba Protocol led to a large-scale operation involving the National Defense, the National Guard, the Navy, the State Police, and the Municipal Police. Search efforts heavily focused on jungle areas within the Benito Juárez municipality, utilizing drones, canine units, and specialized equipment along key avenues like Huayacán, Chac Mool, and Colosio. The state Commission for the Search for Persons was also integral to the operation.
Initial statements from the Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office suggested Zerda’s disappearance wasn’t a crime, citing witness accounts that she suffered from schizophrenia and had wandered into the jungle during an episode.
However, Zerda’s family vehemently disputed this, with her brother Guillermo emphasizing her excellent health and lack of any psychiatric history to La Nación and Infobae. He suggested that his sister may have felt threatened or harassed, leading her to seek refuge in the dense jungle. An audio recording from before her disappearance, where she sounded frightened while texting a friend, lends credence to this possibility.
The discovery of Zerda walking near Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard suggests she had emerged from the jungle after nearly two weeks in the challenging environment. The area is known for its dense vegetation, high humidity, and wildlife, with temperatures during her disappearance ranging from 24°C to 32°C. Her brother expressed amazement at her survival, stating, “She’s made of steel, I don’t know how she managed to survive. But she’s fine, she’s lucid.” The news has brought immense relief to their family, with her mother finally able to “breathe” again.
Given Zerda’s background in sports promotion and as a bikini brand owner, her associates speculate she might have witnessed something that made her feel unsafe. The case has also been brought to the attention of the Argentine Prosecutor’s Office for Human Trafficking and Exploitation (PROTEX), which is seeking official information and considering a transnational investigation.
While the Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office has not yet confirmed new lines of investigation, Zerda’s family is urging a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and is adamant that speculations about her mental health be dismissed. The focus now is on understanding why she hid in the jungle and ensuring her safe return home after her unexpected emergence near a busy Cancún thoroughfare.
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