Jon Benjamin, for reasons unknown, picked up the weapon while sitting in a parked vehicle during an official trip to Durango and Sinaloa, states notorious for cartel activity.

A video shared on social media shows Benjamin – ambassador since 2021 – pointing the gun at a Mexican colleague, who appears uncomfortable.

He was dismissed as ambassador shortly after the incident, which took place in April but only just came to light, according to FT.

The video was apparently posted on social media by disgruntled embassy employees.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are aware of this incident and have taken appropriate action. Where internal issues do arise the FCDO has robust HR processes to address them.”