The Farce of Marilyn Cote: A Surrealist Tragedy in Mexico

It’s a cliché to say that "reality surpasses fiction," yet our imagination often pales in comparison to dazzling reality. André Breton and Salvador Dalí described Mexico as a surrealist country, knowing well that surrealism lies at the intersection of reality and dreams. True stories often resemble plots from David Lynch or the Coen brothers, tales even the most extreme absurd theater could not conceive.

Yesterday, Marilyn Cote was arrested in Tlaxcala, her hometown. Claiming to be born in Rome, Italy, she boasted friendships with Italian celebrities like Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazzotti, showcasing photos with them on social media. Cote displayed images of her presence on Italian magazine covers and diplomas from prestigious European clinics, portraying herself as an authority on mental disorders.

Online, Cote operated a website for her supposed prestigious clinic in the U.S., featuring images of international collaborators in neuroscience and neuropsychology. She even posted videos on YouTube thanking various institutions for accolades. However, this "reality" existed only in Cote's mind. Tragically, her elaborate deception deceived many mentally ill patients desperate for quick cures for depression and anxiety, which she claimed to remedy within a week.

Cote rented an office in a prestigious medical building without anyone verifying her credentials as a psychiatrist. She received recognition from Doctoralia for positive mentions she fabricated herself. Claiming to be multilingual, she used these languages to express gratitude for awards in Europe, yet no one checked her actual language skills.

For years, Cote constructed a grand lie. A lawyer from Tlaxcala under psychiatric therapy and skilled in Photoshop, she created an incredible narrative devoid of truth. Her prescriptions bore nonexistent credentials claiming studies in Norway and the U.S., none of which were true. The greater tragedy is that she prescribed controlled medications without valid licenses.

Cote's story exemplifies someone with clear mental disorders but sharp intelligence to exploit gaps in medical, commercial, and legal processes. For years, she "faked it till she made it," scamming numerous patients vulnerable to her unscrupulousness. She understood her patients' vulnerabilities well enough that they hesitated to report her. She also knew of the Mexican authorities' negligence regarding complaints.

The saying goes that history repeats itself "first as tragedy, then as comedy," yet Cote's tale is pure tragedy that could easily be adapted into an absurd comedy film. In Cote's narrative, I see a staggering reality far beyond the wildest fantasies imaginable. The unfolding story before our incredulous eyes is worthy of the third world—a realm of desperate individuals with poor education and indifferent officials where unscrupulous people thrive. This tale could have unfolded in the former Soviet Union, Africa, or 1970s Latin America’s magical realism but not in 2024 Puebla, one of Mexico's major cities.