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Int'l Business Times
13-08-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Bukele Critics Face Long Exile From El Salvador Homeland
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has tightened his grip on power and made life ever-more difficult for critics -- now a growing number face the prospect of a long and painful exile. At 44 years old, the self-styled world's "coolest dictator" has been in power for six years, and has just scrapped constitutional term limits, raising the prospect he could rule for many more. For good measure, he and his allies also passed a "foreign agents" law, similar to those used to crush dissent in Russia, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Against this backdrop, about 80 human rights activists, journalists, lawyers and environmentalists have left El Salvador in the last four months, according to an AFP tally, fleeing what they call "escalating repression" and the risk of imprisonment. AFP spoke to several of those in exile. Here are the stories of four. Bukele's government did not respond to requests for comment. But the president -- popular with Salvadorans for his "war" on gangs that once ravaged the country -- accuses his critics of "distorting" and "manipulating" the truth. Ingrid Escobar's left arm is bandaged. Shortly after fleeing her homeland with her nine- and 11-year-old children, she underwent surgery for a tumor, leaving a wound that has yet to heal. "I prioritized my health, my freedom, and my children," says the director of Socorro Juridico (Legal Aid), which assists prisoners' families. Now in Mexico, the 43-year-old recalls how police patrolled near her home "twice a week." She lived in that shadow until a friend from the prosecutor's office warned her that she was on a list of 11 people about to be arrested. "I had no choice" but to leave she said. "Because of the intimidation and fear of dying in prison without medical treatment." "I grabbed some clothes and left when I could," she said. The prospect of being jailed in El Salvador is not far-fetched. Escobar has been a staunch critic of Bukele's state of emergency, which was imposed in 2022 and has led to about 88,000 people being detained. The government accuses them all of being gang members. But with scant evidence or due process, no one knows for sure. Escobar insists that among the prisoners are "thousands of innocents." An estimated 433 have died in prison, although the true figure may never be known. Her organization continues to operate in El Salvador, but they are at "high risk," Escobar laments. "Consolidating the dictatorship involves imprisoning human rights defenders to silence them," she claimed. "There is no such thing as a 'cool dictatorship.'" Ruth Lopez was already in pyjamas when police arrived to arrest her on the night of May 18. The lawyer, who led the anti-corruption unit of the humanitarian NGO Cristosal, was herself was accused of illicit enrichment by a Bukele-aligned prosecutor. Her high-profile arrest marked a turning point. A month later, her colleague Rene Valiente, head of investigations, went into exile along with 20 other Cristosal activists. "There were attacks on social networks, stigmatization of our work, surveillance by security forces," recounts the 39-year-old lawyer from Cristosal's office in Guatemala. A constitutional lawyer and an environmental lawyer were also arrested in May and June, and the "foreign agents law" stipulated strict new laws for NGOs, including a 30 percent tax on their income. Amid all this, the US administration of President Donald Trump has been notably muted in its condemnation. Valiente and Lopez continue to advise the families of the 252 Venezuelans deported from the United States and who spent four months in the mega-prison Bukele built for gang members. "He exercises repression because he has the validation of the United States and has undermined democratic checks and balances" said Valiente. "We will continue working from here for a country that doesn't have to choose between security, or rights," he said. When the Bukele-controlled Congress lifted the ban on metal mining last December, many Salvadorans took to the streets to protest. An environmental leader with a decade's standing, Amalia Lopez could not be absent. But after helping file a legal challenge against the new rules the 45-year-old was forced to retreat from the fight and leave her country in April. "I felt watched. I thought about protecting myself, letting the pressure subside, and returning, but I am no longer safe there," she told AFP from Costa Rica. In May, an environmental defender and a community leader protesting with farmers near Bukele's residence were detained. "With such overwhelming military and political power, we can't do much," said Lopez, who also defends communities' rights to water and land threatened by "powerful economic groups." All her work and affections "were left there" she said. "With indefinite re-election, an early return is impossible. Now it's an increasingly distant reality." Jorge Beltran still has his suitcases packed because he's seeking asylum in another country. The 55-year-old left El Salvador for Guatemala on June 14 "totally devastated," without his wife and children. "I am emotionally unwell. But in El Salvador, practicing free and critical journalism is no longer safe," he said from his small rented room. A journalist for 23 years, Beltran is one of 47 reporters who have gone into exile in recent months, according to the professional association APES. Working for El Diario de Hoy, he denounced what he called "corrupt Bukele officials and human rights violations." It was no easy task, Beltran said, as the government "closed access to public documents." He decided to leave when people close to power warned him he was being targeted by the police. "It's a very bitter pill," he said. Now the prospect of Bukele's indefinite re-election "erases the hope of returning in just a few years." Although he is currently unemployed, Beltran plans to create a website to report from abroad on what is happening in El Salvador. "I will be far away, but I will not be silent," he insisted. Ingrid Escobar has been a staunch critic of Bukele's state of emergency, which was imposed in 2022 and has led to about 88,000 people being detained AFP Jorge Beltran, who like others has fled to neighboring Guatemala, said 'practicing free and critical journalism is no longer safe' in El Salvador AFP Rene Valiente went into exile in June along with 20 other members of the Cristosal NGO after a colleague was arrested AFP Environmental leader Amalia Lopez fled El Salvador after helping file a legal challenge to new mining rules AFP
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Forbes
Man Who Marketed Pablo Escobar-Branded Crypto And Flamethrower Pleads Guilty To Fraud
Pablo Escobar died in 1993, but in this 2017 picture, a woman in Medellin, Colombia, still keeps a picture of him in her wallet. Photo byOlof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as (aka) 'Sir Olaf Gustafsson,' aka 'El Silencio,' has pleaded guilty to six federal criminal charges related to marketing and selling products, including flamethrowers and cell phones, that he never delivered. The products were based on licensing rights tied to the late Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. According to his plea agreement, Gustafsson was the CEO of Escobar Inc., a corporation registered in Puerto Rico that held successor-in-interest rights to the intellectual property—largely, name and likeness—of Pablo Escobar. Escobar is a former Colombian narco-terrorist, most commonly recognized as the head of the Medellín Cartel. At the height of the drug trade in the 1980s, Escobar, called "The King of Cocaine," was responsible for an estimated 80% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States—at one point, he was thought to be bringing in an estimated $420 million a week. Escobar was eventually shot and killed by Colombian police in 1993. Escobar remained popular, and Escobar's brother and former accountant for the Medellín Cartel, Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria, registered the successor-in-interest rights as part of Escobar, Inc. According to the company's website, 'The only true rights-holder to any naming rights involving Pablo Escobar is Escobar Inc, and we defend such rights.' True to their word, in 2017, the company threatened to sue Netflix for $1 billion for alleged intellectual property violations the company tied to the popular show, 'Narcos.' Escobar Inc. eventually abandoned its trademark claims. Still, the company continued to market Escobar's name. According to court documents, from July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson used the Escobar persona to market and advertise products similar to those already in the market at a substantially lower price. The products included the Escobar Flamethrower, a product modeled after the 'Not a Flamethrower' marketed and sold by Elon Musk's The Boring Company for $500. Escobar's brother accused Musk of stealing the idea and demanded $100 million—the demand didn't go anywhere, with Musk alluding to the allegations on X (formerly Twitter). Despite the controversy, Gustafsson and his co-conspirators continued to market the product. They advertised the Escobar Flamethrower for less than half of the amount Musk was seeking: just $249. Despite receiving payment from customers, Escobar Flamethrowers were not delivered. The purported products also included several phones, including the Escobar Fold Phone (available for sale for $349) and an 'upgraded' Escobar Fold 2 Phone, marketed as a competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Fold phone (available for sale for $400). The company promoted the phones on a website it owned called RIPSamsung. The video for the phone—which remains available on YouTube—showed a bikini-clad woman smashing up Galaxy Fold phones with a sledgehammer and has been viewed over 800,000 times. A similar video promoting the 'Escobar Fold Phone' has been viewed more than two million times on YouTube. no longer exists (it redirects to the Escobar Inc. website)—according to the company, Samsung filed a complaint over the use of the domain—and won—in 2020. The Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone was similarly marketed as a refurbished Apple iPhone 11 Pro, plated in 24 karat gold, and available for sale for $500. In 2020, Escobar Gaviria claimed to have filed suit against Apple, seeking $2.6 billion in damages. The suit, which was allegedly filed by Escobar Gaviria individually, was posted on the company's website. Despite the drama, phones were not delivered to paying customers. Gustafsson also advertised Escobar Cash, marketed as the world's first 'physical cryptocurrency.' Escobar Cash was available for sale in several denominations at a U.S. dollar conversion rate of 1/1000th of U.S. dollar face value. The cash has been described as a combination of 'two worlds, the physical world and the virtual world' by using 'hybrid cash notes, notes that are backed by cryptocurrency and tied to the blockchain.' (A book penned by Escobar Gaviria about the currency remains for sale on Amazon, and Gustaffson is listed as an additional author.) To keep the scheme going, Gustafsson and his co-conspirators would send crudely-made samples of the products to reviewers and social media influencers to increase demand. For example, he sent Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil and disguised as Escobar, Inc. phones to online tech reviewers to induce victims who watch online reviews into paying for and purchasing the non-existent Escobar, Inc. products. Rather than sending the products, Gustafsson would send a 'Certificate of Ownership,' book, or other promotional materials to customers so that there was record of a mailing. When a paying customer would attempt to obtain a refund when the product was never delivered, Gustafsson fraudulently referred the payment processor to the record of mailing as 'proof' that the product was shipped and received by the customer. That would mean the refund requests would be denied. Eventually, several payment processors, including PayPal, cut ties with the company due to the complaints. The items are also no longer available on the company's website, though the website remains online. Before the items were removed from the site, Gustafsson and his co-conspirators received hundreds of orders. The take, according to court documents? At least $1,300,193. Gustafsson also arranged to open bank accounts in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. The accounts were opened under his name and entities he controlled to be used as funnel accounts—bank accounts into which he deposited the proceeds from his criminal activities. The goal was to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. He would then transfer and launder the funds through various bank accounts, including accounts in the Central District of California and elsewhere in the United States and abroad. Ultimately, the funds landed in accounts owned by Gustafsson, his family members, and others, who would then use the funds for their own personal use. Arrest Gustafsson was arrested in Marbella, Spain, in December 2023. He was taken into federal custody in the United States on March 28, after he was extradited. When he was taken into custody, he was arraigned on a 115-count federal indictment, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, 41 counts of money laundering, 35 counts of international money laundering, and 25 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. According to court documents, Gustafsson is represented by Meghan A. Blanco of the Law Offices of Meghan Blanco. Blanco did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Criminal Charges Gustafsson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of concealment money laundering, and one count of international concealment money laundering. Wire fraud involves wire communication—in this case, the internet—sent across state lines to promote or commit fraud, while mail fraud involves the use of the U.S. Mail (or other mail carriers) to execute a scheme. Money laundering is the process of converting 'dirty money" meaning that it was from illegal sources into "clean' money, or legitimate cash so that it can't be traced. The easiest way, of course, is to run the cash through a bank or other financial institution and replace those bad dollars with shiny new ones—that's why federal laws require that large transactions be reported. When illicit funds are transmitted money from a place inside the United States to or through a place outside the United States, that's international money laundering. Conspiracy charges mean that two or more persons agreed to commit a crime (in this case, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering) and the defendant joined, knowing the purpose of the scheme and intending to help accomplish that purpose. Court documents did not name the co-conspirators in the case. Sentencing Following his guilty plea, Gustafsson is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha for sentencing. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each fraud-related count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering-related count. That means the total maximum sentence for all offenses is 120 years imprisonment. In addition, he faces up to a 3-year period of supervised release, a fine of $2,250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offenses (whichever is greatest), and a mandatory special assessment of $600. As part of his plea agreement, Gustafsson has agreed to pay up to $1.3 million in restitution to victims, as well as to forfeiture to funds that were proceeds of the fraud schemes, including money currently held in a bank account in Sweden. IRS Criminal Investigation IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the FBI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General investigated the matter, with assistance from the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, Eurojust, Spanish authorities, and French judicial authorities. CI is the sixth-largest law enforcement agency in the U.S. and is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations like tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, and identity theft. While other federal agencies also have investigative jurisdiction for money laundering and some bank secrecy act violations, the IRS is the only federal agency that can investigate potential criminal violations of the tax code. The agency has 19 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad. Forbes IRS Special Agent Was Shocked A Woman Would Fake Having Cancer—But She Did By Kelly Phillips Erb Forbes The Infiltrator: Drugs, Dirty Money And Deep Cover By Kelly Phillips Erb
Los Angeles Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The ‘Love Island USA' scandal highlights how prevalent racist language is among Latinos
On Sunday night, 'Love Island USA' fans heard series narrator Iain Stirling said the words many online warriors were clamoring to hear: 'Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation.' The Cierra in question is Cierra Ortega, a 25-year-old content creator from Arizona who was a contestant on the massively popular Peacock reality dating show in which single 'islanders' live in a Fijian villa cut off from the world and find love among one another. Or at least enough of a 'connection' to win a $100,000 prize and all the fame and brand deals that come with doing well on the show. The 'personal situation' that sent her home early from the villa was resurfaced Instagram posts in which she used a derogatory term used against Asians to describe her eyes. Ortega is the second person to be cut from the show this season for racism uncovered by fans. The first was Yulissa Escobar, a 27-year-old who runs a mobile bar company in her hometown of Miami. Videos of Escobar surfaced from a podcast, in which she casually used the N-word while discussing boy drama with the hosts; they then went viral online, and even landed on TMZ. Two days into her time on Season 7 of 'Love Island USA,' she was removed with a similar voice-over noting her departure. Fans wondered on social media what happened and promptly found the answer. This scandal is another disappointing reminder of the racism, be it casual or overt, that permeates Latino culture. Perhaps given our minority status in the U.S., Latinos often think using slurs is totally normal, and not a big deal; but it's not, and it is. Disciplining a contestant or star on a reality TV show with swift removal hasn't always been the norm. The racial reckoning that emerged following the murder of George Floyd highlighted for many who we should be platforming on these series, with reality shows like 'Vanderpump Rules' and 'Real Housewives of New York' making cast changes in response to instances of racism from its stars. Ortega and Escobar aren't the first or even second contestants to be kicked off 'Love Island USA.' Season 2's Noah Purvis was removed after producers discovered he had appeared in porn, and Season 3's Leslie Golden was sent home for bringing a cannabis vape into the villa. They are, however, the first to leave on the grounds of racism, a noteworthy precedent on a show that casts people of different social and political backgrounds. That it was two Latinas who broke this unfortunate ground is embarrassing, upsetting, and if I'm being honest, a total face-palm moment. Both Escobar and Ortega slipped so easily into using slurs that it was jarring to see, especially since both instances occurred in recent years, ostensibly when they should know better. But according to both of them, that's not the case. 'The truth is, I didn't know better then, but I do now,' Escobar explained via a statement on Instagram. 'I've taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to grow from that moment,' she wrote. She provided further context and apologies on TikTok. Meanwhile, Ortega's parents issued their own statement on her Instagram stories, acknowledging the offensive nature of the posts and asking for compassion from rabid fans who are flooding their daughter's social pages. 'We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters,' they wrote. 'But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that.' On Wednesday night, Ortega finally addressed her removal from 'Love Island USA,' calling it 'not an apology video. This is an accountability video.' 'Before I get into the details, I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community. I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry,' she says, while wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the word 'empathy.' 'I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it, but that's absolutely no excuse because intent doesn't excuse ignorance.' Ortega also shares a screenshot of a direct message from January of last year, in which she responds apologetically and appreciatively to a follower who explained to her why her post was harmful to Asian people to dispel online rumors that she continued to use the term after being educated. In all, both Escobar and Ortega have expressed regret, have promised to prove their growth through their actions, and have also asked virulent fans to stop harassing them and their families. That racism exists in Latino culture across nationalities is not a surprise. It reared its ugly head in such a flagrantly unassuming way that is sadly common within our communities. I'm not surprised that they were ignorant of the severity of the terms they used, if we are to believe they actually were unaware. I, personally, am inclined to believe them. How often are we confronted with a casual slur when talking to a cousin or sibling or parent? The task of teaching a family member about racist or homophobic language embedded in our way of speaking is a frustrating endeavor. It's been an exhausting, decades-long effort for me with my own family that is still ongoing. It's important to me to take the time to push them and our culture at large to evolve. We can't be better if we don't hold ourselves and each other accountable. Ortega herself agrees with the network's decision to remove her from the show. 'I think that this is something that deserved punishment,' she says. It may be easy to pin this on Escobar and Ortega being from deep red states, or their backgrounds; Escobar is a white Cuban from Miami while Ortega is Mexican and Puerto Rican from Arizona, though now lives in Los Angeles. But anti-Blackness and white supremacy is sadly part of the fabric of our culture across Latino communities in all parts of the U.S. Sure, this sort of racism is more prevalent among those who lean right on the political spectrum. Plenty has been said of the racism in Arizona or among Miami Cubans, but it's certainly not exclusive to the red hat consort. Liberal types aren't impervious to racism, even when under a more well-intentioned guise. Your Democratic-voting nephew might still think dropping an Asian slur is no big deal because he's got Filipino friends. As the country delves deeper into authoritarianism and Latinos are being targeted by the Trump administration, literally being kidnapped off the street by ICE agents regardless of their criminal record or citizenship status, learning is especially imperative. When we are collectively viewed as racists against other marginalized communities because of the actions of some, it only serves to isolate us when we are being harmed. We need to be unified. We need others to fight to protect us, and for us to do the same, which we've already seen across L.A. That means respecting each other, and for God's sake not using stupid, harmful words. We do not get a pass. Punishing two Latinas who are platformed on reality TV for their actions sends a message that will hopefully broaden understanding within our culture as to why certain language is harmful and won't be tolerated. That said, I don't want either Escobar or Ortega to be hurt in a serious way — and bloodthirsty fans calling for their heads and harassing them and their families should also ask themselves about the objective of their ruthless attacks. Are they genuinely concerned about racism? Or are they trying to take out the competition for their faves? Death threats are never OK, and neither is racism. If there was nothing to find, Escobar and Ortega wouldn't be in this predicament. We can and should do better in taking care of each other. That means unlearning the language that perpetuates harm and stereotypes, and being more compassionate and humane across the board. Learning is a necessary part of growth. It's not always easy or without pain, but ideally it should be safe.
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
Former 'Love Island USA' contestant Cierra Ortega apologizes for using racial slur
LOS ANGELES -- Former 'Love Island USA' contestant Cierra Ortega apologized Wednesday for resurfaced posts where she used a racial slur against Asian people. Ortega, who was half of one of the season's strongest couples, left the villa just a week before the popular reality show's finale after old posts resurfaced that contained the slur. Ortega addressed the entire Asian community in her nearly five minute TikTok video and said she is 'deeply, truly, honestly so sorry.' 'This is not an apology video. This is an accountability video,' Ortega said. 'I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it,' Ortega said. 'I had no ill intention when I was using it, but that's absolutely no excuse because intent doesn't excuse ignorance.' Ortega, who has been back in the United States for about 48 hours, said she has struggled most with the backlash experienced by her family, who she said doesn't feel safe in their own home, and have had immigration authorities called on them. 'There's no need to fight hate with hate. I don't think that that's justice," Ortega said. "And if you want to know that you're heard and that I'm sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you, that's what will happen.' Ortega's removal from the villa was announced early in Sunday's episode. Host Iain Stirling said she had left 'due to a personal situation.' 'I completely agree with the network's decision to remove me from the villa. I think that this is something that deserved punishment and the punishment has absolutely been received,' Ortega said. Her video made no mention of her 'Love Island' partner, Nic Vansteenberghe. He remained in the villa single when Ortega left, ultimately recoupling with fellow islander Orlandria Carthen in the same episode. The couple is still in competition as of Tuesday's episode. Ortega said she was unaware she was using a racial slur until a follower pointed it out after she posted an Instagram story in 2024 that used the term. It was one of the posts that resurfaced during her time in the villa. At this point, Ortega said 'the word was immediately removed from my vocabulary.' 'I know that moving forward, my actions and how I decide to live my life from here on out is gonna speak louder than any apology ever could,' Ortega said. Ortega's departure from the villa followed Yulissa Escobar, who left the villa last month in the second episode after clips of her using racist language resurfaced online. Her departure was also not explained in the show. A spokesperson for the show declined to comment Monday. Escobar, who initially issued an apology on her Instagram story shortly after she departed the villa, took to TikTok a day after Ortega left to ask viewers to stop cyberbullying contestants. 'I know what I said was wrong. I know what Cierra said was wrong, and I know it hurt communities,' Escobar said. 'All I ask you guys is instead of threatening her and her family, try to educate us, her, me.' Escobar said she was 'honestly scared to come home,' when she first got her phone back after exiting the villa and saw the messages she had received. 'I was like, is something going to happen to me? Like, is somebody going to do something to me? Because it was just a lot to take in and even my family was worried,' Escobar said. 'It's not easy to take that when you're getting all these threats online.' The show, which strips contestants of their phones or access to the outside world, has previously asked fans to avoid cyberbullying contestants. Host Ariana Madix called for fans to stop doxxing and harassing the show's stars in a recent interview with The Associated Press. 'Love Island USA' is an American spin-off of the original U.K. series and is airing its seventh season. The show airs daily except Wednesdays and brings young singles together in a remote villa in Fiji to explore connections with the ultimate goal of finding love. Couples undergo challenges and are encouraged test their romantic connections as new contestants are introduced. Islanders are routinely 'dumped' from the villa throughout the series as stronger couples form. Sunday's finale will culminate with one couple who receives the most public votes being awarded $100,000.
NBC News
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
'Love Island USA' star Yulissa Escobar reacts to Cierra Ortega's sudden departure
Former 'Love Island USA' contestant Yulissa Escobar is addressing Cierra Ortega's departure from the show, calling for compassion over cyberbullying . In a TikTok video posted July 7, Escobar, 27, drew parallels between her experience and Ortega's abrupt removal from the villa in Episode 30. Both left 'Love Island USA' after posts containing racial slurs resurfaced. A spokesperson for Peacock declined to comment to (Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal, TODAY and NBC News' parent company.) 'I know what she did was wrong but we need to stop fighting hate with hate,' Escobar said in the video. 'The cyberbullying has gone to another level.' Following her removal from the show in June after Episode 2, Escobar issued an apology. In her recent video, the former Islander acknowledged that both she and Ortega made mistakes and didn't minimize the harm caused by their words. 'I'm not justifying what I did, I know what I did and what I said was wrong, and I know what Cierra said was wrong and I know it hurt communities,' she said. Escobar emphasized that while she doesn't condone the language used, the online harassment both women have faced crosses a line. 'When I was in that hotel room in Fiji and I was looking at those messages I was getting, I was honestly scared to come home,' Escobar said. 'I was like, is something going to happen to me? Is someone going to do something to me? Because it was just a lot to take in, and even my family was worried.' Now, she's worried about Ortega facing similar threats. 'Instead of sending such disgusting messages to her and her family ... try to educate us,' Escobar said. 'Her, me, I said something in the past that was wrong, she did too, like try to educate people so we can grow as a community.' Escobar expressed particular concern for Ortega's mental health, noting that she doesn't know if the former Islander is 'OK' and saying she wished she could check on her well-being. 'I'm speaking up for everybody in that island, I'm speaking up for Cierra, not because I don't know what she did was wrong … but I just feel for her mental health and I'm scared, I'm worried for her,' she said. Escobar concluded her video with a message of unity. 'We need to stick together, we can't continue this division we need to unite and teach people. That's how we're going to grow as a community, and we have younger generations that are watching this show and we're not teaching them to be better,' she said. The 'Love Island USA' finale is set to air on July 13, with the recent controversies casting a shadow on the season's conclusion. Ortega has not publicly addressed her departure. Her parents issued a statement posted to her Instagram story, both acknowledging Ortega's actions and asking for an end to 'threats' and 'cruel messages.' 'As Cierra's parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives,' the post began. 'We're not here to justify or ignore what's surfaced. We understand people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that.' The post said Ortega will 'face this with honesty, growth and grace' when she returns from Fiji, where the show is filmed. 'While she'll always be our little girl, she's also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice,' the post read.
