7 News Belize

Bze Police Await McAfee Expulsion, He's Hospitalized With Heart Problems
posted (December 6, 2012)
Last night when we left you John McAfee was profiling and preening for the cameras in Guatemala City - where he was asking for political asylum.

But, in 24 hours, a lot can change in McAfee's topsy-turvy world - and it has! Tonight, he's in a Guatemala City hospital - and reports are that he may have suffered two mild heart attacks. Quite a scene was created in Guatemala City this afternoon - as an ambulance took him from his private holding room at an Immigration Detention Center.

He ended up in that center after he was picked up last night on immigration charges. The immigration issue is that McAfee openly admits to entering Guatemala illegally from Belize - which is an offence. Now it may be considered permissible in the case of a person genuinely fleeing persecution and seeking asylum - but Guatemalan authorities don't think McAfee qualifies as such a case.

And so last night - Guatemalan immigration authorities accompanied by Interpol officers went to his hotel and put him under arrest. They had every intention of expelling him, sending him back to the country he came from - in this case Belize - which is the standard procedure for illegal immigrants.

But, McAfee's got a resourceful attorney, former Attorney General Telesforo Guerra - known as "Telesh" - who is originally from Benque Viejo, Belize. Guerra is pulling out all the stops to keep McAfee from being put on a plane and to be sent back to Belize.

We've pieced together video and pictures from various news reports - and here's a rundown of what all has happened since last night:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
Last night at around 9:00 Guatemalan Police and Immigration authorities arrested John McAfee at his hotel in Guatemala City.

And with that assurance from his attorney, McAfee - who was not cuffed at any time - took a long drag on cigarette and even had time to blow a flute - but he still had to face the music - being packed into the backseat of a waiting Hilux by Interpol officers working for the civil police - but he still had time to stop the action to make a reality show quip:

McAfee from 7News Belize on Vimeo.

And the Hilux roared off into the Guatemala city night - where McAffee was taken to this Immigration holding facility - where again, he was not restrained but allowed to freely interact with his attorney.

But the Guatemalan government has formally rejected that request for asylum - and so Guerra got the courts to intervene. At 3:00 am he got a judge to grant a writ of habeas corpus and he got a hearing for McAfee today in court.

Guerra argued that McAfee suffered two mild heart attacks this morning due to the stress of being on the run and then locked up - but these pictures show that he was happily blogging while detained - saying that his spirits were brighter.

To be specific, Guerra first claimed that McAffee had two mild heart attacks last night.

The Guatemalan Government - which, remember, is seeking to expel McAfee to Belize, said he had no such attacks and was on the computer all night.

In the end the court sent him to a hospital for lab tests and an examination - where they found that McAfee had an arrhythmia - which is an irregular heart rhythm - caused in this case by stress.

Whatever the case, he is hospitalized tonight - and his attorney is awaiting a hearing from the Guatemalan Constitutional Court. But, he remains isolated as neither the US or British Consulates appear interested in coming to his rescue - and - as we noted - the Guatemalan Government has refused him asylum.

We understand that the Government of Belize has sent a diplomatic note advising Guatemalan authorities that he is a person of interest in a homicide investigation in Belize.

McAfee has already started making inquiries about retaining legal counsel in Belize in the event that he is expelled.

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