CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — What was supposed to be a fun family trip to Corpus Christi ended in a bitter departure for popular Mexican comedian Liliana Arriaga, better known as "La Chupitos".
Arriaga said she was the victim of a racist incident the morning of Nov. 2 at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, on Navigation Boulevard and IH-37.
Arriaga and her family came to town because her granddaughter was participating in a cheerleading competition.
According to Arriaga, it all began around 11:15 a.m. when hotel staff knocked forcefully on her family's hotel door, just 15 minutes after the established checkout time.
"They came and knocked on our door and demanded that we open it, but in a very rude, very violent way," Arriaga said. "My husband opens the door, but with the chain (attached). He wasn't going to open it all the way - we were finishing packing our things because we were leaving. He closes the door, and about a minute later, they come knocking again, but much more violently. So much that my granddaughter starts crying. She got very scared."
Arriaga said she and her family packed their belongings and went to the lobby to check out when an argument erupted. She said the argument spilled out into the parking lot where employees began their racist comments.
"They started saying rude things to us in English, offensive words, and we got scared because we said, 'Why are they treating us like this?" Arriaga said.
In the video, Arriaga's son can be heard asking, "You say you're going to call ICE?"
"Yes, I'm going to call them," the manager responds.
"Okay, then call them. He says he's going to call ICE," Arriaga's son said.
"I'm not illegal like you," the manager states.
Arriaga recorded the incident on her call phone and called the police. She said the hotel called the police as well.
Arriaga, who has made millions laugh with her "La Chupitos" character, said this experience left her with deep sadness and disappointment.
Following the incident, she posted the video on social media and warned others of how she and her family were treated at the Westside hotel.
"What a bad experience, a very bad experience these people put us through," Arriaga said.
Arriaga spoke with Nina Martinez with our sister station, KAJA Telemundo about Sunday's incident.
"Thank God I have my papers in order. My husband is American, my children you know. Everything is fine. How dare she say that," Arriaga said. "And even so, thank God I have my papers in order, but how many people don't, and it's not right to treat them like that."
"It's the first time they've treated me like a criminal. Not just me, but my family," Arriaga said. "We were at a very beautiful event. My granddaughter is a cheerleader and we were actually very happy because my granddaughter won first place in her category and third in the group category. We were having a very beautiful family moment and these people who appear in the video, both the woman who says she's the manager and the gentleman, were the ones who caused all the trouble."
The incident has generated great outrage, and on social media, thousands of people have expressed their support for the artist, who says she is still waiting for an apology.
"I'm still waiting for it, friend. I'm still waiting, and I hope they do it because I go back to the same thing - I can raise my voice and thanks to you, the media, who allow me to raise my voice more," Arriaga said. "But how many colleagues, how many people can't do it. And they abuse that."
We reached out to Holiday Inn Express & Suites and its corporate office, but so far, they have not issued a statement about what happened.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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