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Nicaraguan Diplomat Found Dead in NYC

By Laura Strachan, Esq. on September 24, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A Nicaraguan Diplomat was found dead in NYC early this morning, and his death was anything but natural. 34 year-old Cesar Mercado was found by his driver with his throat slashed near the door of his Bronx apartment around 10:30 a.m. yesterday morning.

Mercado was the highest-ranking Nicaraguan official at the United Nations consulate, and had been working and living in New York for eight years, including yesterday. CNN quotes another Nicaraguan Diplomat, Danilo Rosales Diaz: "He was here yesterday, working yesterday. His death is a shock." A knife was found near his body, although the apartment did not appear to be robbed.

CNN adds some key details to the diplomat's death: Mercado's apartment neighbors claim to have heard, "screaming and banging" coming from his apartment in the early morning hours before he was found dead. Mercado's driver was picking him up to take him to United Nations General Assembly meeting for the day when he found the door to his sixth-floor apartment ajar, and Mercado's body lying close to the entrance.

Investigating police have not released any other details or possible motives, but did state that they were treating Cesar Mercado's death as a homicide. The fact that it was a U.N. diplomat will only increase the cloud of secrecy surrounding the international murder. The murder of Cesar Mercado may cause jurisdictional issues if the killer is found, but for now police are just focused on finding a suspect. Leaders from 192 nations are in town for the General Assembly meeting, including the president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega.

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