Canada's Drag Race Winner Venus Says Police in Mexico Brutally Attacked Her, Shares Disturbing Photos: 'Choked and Kicked'

Canada’s Drag Race season 4 winner Venus has shared disturbing images of herself in the aftermath of what she says was a brutal attack by police that took place over the weekend in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

via: EW

The international RuPaul's Drag Race franchise winner posted a series of Instagram Stories Sunday, in which she alleged that she was "abducted by the 'police' and was handcuffed and tossed around in the back of a truck hatchback" in addition to also being robbed.

"I was choked and kicked for an hour and then they took $1,000 cash from me and my headphones and then I had to pay to them hundreds more dollars to get released and I can’t even call the police because they’re the ones who did this!" Venus wrote in her post, which also contained images of red marks along her elbow, chest, and stomach.

"Anyone have any advice on what to do and/or where to report this to? Front desk won’t help me because they think I’m guilty of not paying for my taxi which makes no sense because that’s why I took out cash in the first place… corruption on every level," she added.

Another photo shared by Venus showed the outside of a building in the area, where Venus said "they left me here bleeding on the side of a dark road in the middle of the night after being held handcuffed for hours while they all laughed at me."

She added: "I’m still in shock and I’m not sure what to do. I’m bruised and very sore — I honestly can’t even comprehend the last 5 hours I’m just lucky to be alive."

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for the Jalisco Attorney General's office, the Puerto Vallarta tourism board, and the Consular Agency of Canada for comment, as well as to Venus directly for more information.

In a follow-up Instagram Story, Venus provided an update, in which she thanked "the amazing queer community here in Puerto Vallarta" and the staff at the Almar Resort, whom she said came to her aid "immediately" following the reported attack.

"We are still gathering all the details from last night and we are working with the respective authorities to come to some sort of resolve," Venus continued. "Please do not worry about me. I am safe and I am with loved ones. Thank you again for all your messages and support."

Venus rose to global prominence in 2023 among the cast of Canada's Drag Race season 4, which is hosted by Drag Race season 11 finalist Brooke Lynn Hytes and features celebrity stylist Brad Goreski as a permanent judge.

In addition to her fabulous run on the show, Venus made history by becoming the Canadian edition's first indigenous queen to take the crown.

The British Columbia star won the competition series' first maxi challenge, and never landed in the bottom-two throughout her run on the show, joining an elite group of winners who've never had to lip-sync for their lives during their original-season run.

"I’m taking this title with so much pride. As the first indigenous queen to win, on indigenous land, this is such a monumental moment," Venus said, crying in a confessional on the final episode. She later added on the Main Stage: "I have gotten to prove to myself that I am a superstar. Baby, this is just the beginning."

Several other Drag Race alums have reported being publicly attacked in recent years, with the late RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 1 winner The Vivienne detailing an alleged assault back in 2023, while Drag Race Holland winner Envy Peru also said she was violently attacked by a group of people in Amsterdam that same year.

Season 14 lip-sync titan Jasmine Kennedie also said in recent weeks that she was followed and harassed by a man on the way home from work.

"Nothing will stop me from living my life. TRANS LIVES MATTER!!!" Jasmine said in a social media post about the reported incident.