Actress dies after eating frog at spiritual retreat

According to reports, Marcela Alcázar Rodríguez consumed frog venom as part of a cleansing ritual in Mexico

Actress Marcela Alcázar Rodríguez has died at the age of 33 after experiencing severe diarrhoea and vomiting shortly after consuming frog venom. Despite being rushed to a Red Cross hospital, the actress couldn’t be saved.

The Daily Mail reported that Rodríguez “fell unwell and died after taking part in the ‘Kambo’ ritual, a dangerous tradition native to parts of South America that involves ingesting poison in an effort to cleanse the body of toxins”.

In May 2023, the BBC reported on the sudden death of two locals in eastern Australia. According to the BBC: “Natasha Lechner died from a suspected cardiac event, while authorities believe Jarrad Antonovich died after injuries from severe vomiting. Both incidents happened shortly after they used kambo – poisonous frog mucus – in an ancient Amazonian ritual.”

When it came to Rodríguez, the incident took place at a spiritual retreat located in Durango in Mexico. An investigation is reportedly underway by the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Durango. The supposed sharman involved, Jonathan Fernando reportedly ran from the retreat and officers are now out looking for him.

Mapache Films, a Mexican production company that had worked with the actress, shared a post on their Instagram which read: “With deep regret, today we bid farewell to our colleague and friend Marcela Alcázar. Wishing also quick resignation for her closest family and friends.”

The Durango Film Guild also remembered the actress and said Rodríguez was a “a young woman who worked in various short films, series and movies filmed in Durango,” and also said: “She leaves a void in the hearts of the people who knew her working in what she loved: cinema.”