Hotel Snubs Nobel Laureate

Oooops: Five-star Cancun resort mistakes Rigoberta Menchú for beggar
By Sophie Goldstein,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 17, 2007 11:01 AM CDT
Hotel Snubs Nobel Laureate
Guatemalan Nobel peace prize recipient Rigoberta Menchu listens...   (Getty Images)

Staff at Cancun's five-star Coral Beach Hotel had egg on their faces after trying to throw out a woman in indigenous Mayan garb, assuming she was a beggar or street vendor. Turned out the person they tried to hustle out of their lobby was Rigoberta Menchu—Nobel peace prizewinner, Unesco goodwill ambassador, Guatemalan presidential candidate and indigenous rights activist, the Guardian reports,

What's more, Menchu was at the resort at the request of Mexican president  Felipe Calderon to participate in a conference on drinking water and sanitation, and was due to give interviews. The attempted eviction failed when other guests recognized Menchu. (More Cancun stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X