Page 5 - aruba-today-20220129

A5
WORLD NEWS Saturday 29 January 2022
U.S. Consulate warns Los Cabos hospital preys on Americans

Associated Press That was an apparent ref-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The erence to reports in local
U.S. government is warning media that the hospital
Americans to avoid a hos- pays ambulance drivers to
pital at a Mexican beach channel American patients
destination, following years to St. Luke's.
of complaints that the fa- The practice is apparently
cility preyed on Americans longstanding. An English-
by overcharging, bullying language forum for trav-
them and refusing to re- elers and residents of Los
lease medical records. Cabos posted a comment
More than 100,000 U.S. six years ago that read "Be
tourists arrive to Los Cabos aware that St. Luke's has
at the southern tip of the ambulance chasers out all
Baja California peninsula the time."
each month, drawn my "Apparently the drivers are
its beaches and dramatic paid a healthy fee for pick-
desert landscape. It ap- ing you up off the street
pears they are not only and bringing you to St.
a boon to the hotels and Luke's," according to the
restaurants of twin towns post by a travel agent. "My
Cabo San Lucas and San Cabo friends told me that
Jose del Cabo, but also St. as long as I could talk to
Luke's Hospital in Cabo San Tourists walk on the beach in Cabo San Lucas, in Mexico's western Baja California Peninsula, Sept. keep screaming DO NOT
Lucas. 2, 2009. TAKE ME TO St. Luke's!!!"
Multiple complaints have Associated Press Perhaps one of the most
been filed by U.S. citizens heart-wrenching accounts
saying the hospital de- Luke's business practices. payment," the consulate that St. Luke's pays or other- was written in a formal
manded tens of thousands "U.S. citizens have report- said in the alert. wise compensates ambu- complaint filed in August
of dollars in advance pay- ed instances of withhold- The hospital refused to lances and hotels to send by Scott Lairson, a Los An-
ments, threatened pa- ing care for payment, fail- comment when contacted American patients there. geles man whose wife, Pa-
tients' relatives and refused ing to provide itemized by phone and email Thurs- The consulate wrote, tricia Lairson, was rushed to
to release clinical reports lists of charges, ordering day. "Please be advised that St. Luke's while the couple
on what care they had ac- unnecessary procedures, The consulate urged U.S. hotels and resorts in the Los were vacationing there in
tually provided. That led withholding U.S. passports, citizens to go to other hos- Cabos area may have ex- June. She was diagnosed
the U.S. consulate in Tijuana obstructing medical evac- pitals listed on the consul- isting contracts or informal with acute respiratory fail-
to issue the unusual "health uations, and refusing to ate's web page. relationships with St. Luke's. ure and pneumonia due to
alert" Wednesday about St. discharge patients without There is some evidence " COVID-19.q

Vatican selling London property at heart of fraud trial

By NICOLE WINFIELD Holy See's balance sheets. lessly to Italians who were
Associated Press No figures were given, in- known in business circles for
ROME (AP) — The Vatican cluding on the final sale their shady dealings.
said Friday it has signed price of the property, but Vatican prosecutors have
a contract to sell a luxury Guerrero said it had sold accused the Holy See's
London building that is at for more than its appraisal longtime money manager,
the heart of a fraud and price. Italian brokers and lawyers
embezzlement trial under The Vatican's purchase of of fleecing the Holy See in
way in the Vatican's crimi- the building, located at the various contortions of
nal tribunal, recovering 60 Sloan Ave. in London's the deal and of then extort-
more than it expected from Chelsea neighborhood, ing the Vatican of 15 million
the loss-making investment. has been one of the black- euros to finally get full own-
The Vatican's economy est marks on the Vatican's ership of the property, a for-
ministry also revealed, in finances in recent years. mer Harrods warehouse.
releasing the the Holy See's The Secretariat of State Pope Francis had an-
budget for 2022, that 10% poured some 350 million nounced his intention to A view of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on Nov. 10, 2020.
of the deposit has been euros into the investment, get rid of the property in Associated Press
received and the sale is ex- much of it donations from 2020 when he ordered the
pected to be concluded in the faithful, for a building Secretariat of State to hand tom line since much of the years, as much as 15% last
June. The budget foresees that its previous owner had over all its remaining assets funding for the original Lon- year, thanks in part to the
a narrowing of the Holy purchased for 129 million to a centralized Vatican don investment came from reduced attendance at
See's deficit to €33 million pounds — less than half the treasury, since the London the Peter's Pence dona- Mass during the pandemic,
euros ($37 million) from €42 sum invested. fiasco proved how poorly tions from the faithful that when the collections are
million euros last year. The scandal exposed the the office's monsignors had are destined for the pope's usually made.
The head of the ministry, the incompetence of the Vati- managed the financial charitable works and the "This should make us think
Rev. Juan Antonio Guerrero can's monsignors in man- portfolio. upkeep of the Holy See. about other methods of
Alves, told Vatican media aging its coffers, since they That reputational blow, In the budget estimates, soliciting the help of the
that the loss from the Lon- signed away voting shares combined with the coro- Guerrero said Peter's Pence faithful and receiving do-
don building had already in the deal and agreed to navirus pandemic, has im- donations have contin- nations," he told Vatican
been accounted for in the pay exorbitant fees need- pacted the Vatican's bot- ued to decline for several media.q