Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco — Canadian drag performer Venus Sherwood, winner of Season 4 of Canada’s Drag Race, has retracted her earlier claims that Puerto Vallarta municipal police abducted and assaulted her for five hours during a recent vacation. The revised account differs so markedly from her initial statement that observers have speculated the original allegations were either a publicity tactic or that Ms Sherwood was incentivized to withdraw her accusations in order to safeguard the reputation of one of the Americas’ most prominent LGBTQ+ destinations.
In an updated Instagram Story posted Monday night, Sherwood said she “came forward prematurely” after regaining consciousness from an unexplained blackout and discovering bruises on her body. “In a moment of fear and deep confusion, I shared concerns about my treatment at the hands of the local police department after unexpectedly fainting,” she wrote. “When I came to, my lack of clear memories, combined with the status of my physical injuries, led me to believe that something serious had happened.” Her original accusation never mentioned a blackout, and described five hours of abuse and taunting by local police.
Sherwood’s clarification follows a series of weekend posts in which she claimed officers hand‑cuffed her, threw her into a patrol truck, kidnapped her for five hours, abused and taunted her, robbed her of US $1,000, and left her bleeding on a roadside. She claimed she was arrested for not paying a cab fare that she insisted she had paid. Those initial accusations circulated widely through LGBTQ‑focused media and ignited calls for investigations into alleged misconduct.
After consulting with authorities, the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center and staff at the Almar Resort, Sherwood said she now understands that an altercation took place before police arrived. “I affirm that this occurred before any police involvement and is not the result of a wrongful abduction or brutality by the authorities,” she stated.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sherwood acknowledged that her earlier posts “were made in a state of extreme fear” and “were not accurate.” She added that the weekend blackout left her “not in the right frame of mind” to piece events together accurately.
In her updated statement, the performer thanked local LGBTQIA2S+ organizations for their assistance and expressed gratitude for the “incredibly supportive messages” she has received. “I am safe, recovering, and incredibly grateful,” Sherwood wrote. She also accepted responsibility for making public allegations without complete facts, noting, “I made a mistake by making public accusations without full information.”
The Vallarta Gay+ Community Center confirmed it has been in contact with Sherwood since the incident and is “relieved that clarity has been reached.” The group reiterated its commitment to working with city officials to strengthen protections for tourists and residents alike. Puerto Vallarta, a long‑time magnet for LGBTQ travelers, has faced renewed scrutiny in recent years over reports of harassment and sporadic violence targeting queer visitors.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Puerto Vallarta’s municipal police had not released a formal statement regarding Sherwood’s allegations or her subsequent retraction. According to city protocols, any formal complaint would trigger an internal affairs review. Officials told local media they “stand ready” to cooperate should Sherwood wish to file a report about the earlier altercation she alluded to.
Sherwood has not provided details about the events leading up to her blackout, and it remains unclear who else was involved. She indicated that she continues to work with local authorities to reconstruct the timeline. Without a formal complaint or additional witness testimony, the nature of the confrontation—and how she sustained her injuries—remains under investigation.
Sherwood’s initial claims drew attention to longstanding tensions between Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ community and law‑enforcement agencies. Last month, activists met with municipal officials to push for stronger accountability measures and sensitivity training, though no concrete policy changes have yet been announced.
While Sherwood’s retraction may ease immediate pressure on the police, advocacy groups say the episode underscores the need for transparent communication channels between visitors and authorities. “We’re relieved Venus is safe,” a spokesperson for the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center said, “but this situation shows how quickly misinformation can spread when trust is low.”
