The Scary World Of Mariana Mesones

Mariana Mesones

The University of Minnesota Women’s Golf Team welcomed back Mariana Mesones in April of 2024 after suddenly leaving 18 months earlier. She left  to go to her home in Lima, Peru, following her mother being accused of bribing the President and was sent to prison.

It was a blow to the Gopher team as she paced the team in the fall of 2022, by shooting 62 and 64 in the final round of two consecutive tournaments. She catapulted to second in both events.

“She is a special person,” said Matt Higgins, head Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Minnesota. “With what she has been through, she is able to keep everything in perspective. She keeps everyone grounded.”

“It’s a complicated story,” the 20 year old Mariana said. “My mother wants to help low income people. She creates social living, (housing), for the poor. Her purpose is to change people’s lives. She wants to run for President.”

A government program in Peru makes money available to low income families to build housing. “She buys land and develops it.” Low income families who have applied and been granted money from the program, give the money to Mariana’s mother to build a small home.

She started in 2017, with things going smoothly to the point where she had nine projects in eight cities underway. In July of 2021, “a communist,” said Mariana, was elected President. His name was Pedro Castillo. “Many wealthy Peruvians moved out of the country fearing nationalization of their assets.” This included Mariana and her family who moved to Tampa, FL. Mariana finished her high school career in Tampa.

The change in the government forced her mother to make a decision; pay bribes to government officials or shut down construction on the homes for 5000 families. Unless she paid, she would not be given the necessary permits to continue. She paid the bribes, but reported the activity to other government officials who assured her they could be trusted. However she was deceived by the government officials.

Paying off officials in government to get something done is standard operating procedure in Peru. “The government is bad,” Mariana said. While what her mother did was against the law, “That’s the way our country works.” The government officials demanded more and more money before releasing the permits.

Some in the government who wanted the President removed, knew this was happening. Accusations were made that Mariana’s mother was directly paying off the President. Unbeknownst to Mariana’s mother, the bribe money she paid was apparently being passed on to the President. False testimony about the route of the money was made and the information was used to get the President ousted.

In Peru the congress can remove the President and the President can dissolve congress. It’s messy. The plan of those attempting to oust the President, worked. However Mariana’s mother was the scape goat.

Mariana’s mother was put in the witness protection program and left the country in 2022. Her attorney, who was also the Captain of the Peruvian International Women’s Golf Team, convinced her to return on occasion to Peru to sign documents that would help her business. Mariana was a member of that International Team.

Upon her supposedly secret return to Peru to sign documents, police were waiting and she was arrested. Someone in the prosecutors office had betrayed her.

In Peru the accused is guilty until proven innocent. Mariana’s mother was put in prison while authorities attempted to find evidence and while her family fought for her release. It took a year but it was proven that her detention was unjust and she was released in the spring of 2024. However, her visa to the United States was revoked and passport taken away. For two years she may not leave the country while authorities continue to look for evidence of her guilt of bribing the President.

Upon her mother’s imprisonment Mariana returned to Peru to take care of her two younger siblings. “It was terrible,” Mariana said. “There was a time she was in a holding cell and I had to bring her food. I would never wish unjustly being in prison on anyone.

“I realized that anything can happen. It worked to make me stronger. With all the bad stuff, I take the good. The bad won’t make me better. I take the positive from the circumstance.”

Mariana was born in the US, thus is a citizen, but not her siblings. “I want to work to get my 13 year old brother and 7 year old sister out of the country. I don’t want to go back. It’s a corrupt country. I like life here,” she said. “There are way better opportunities here.”

“I am in fear of my mother being killed,” she said. “She has information. While she is out of prison, she seldom leaves home. I told her to hang in there for two years. When she does leave our home, paparazzi hound her. When I go back I have a body guard and only go to the golf course.”

The crisis in her life did not seem to effect her play. Following her return in the fall of 2024, in first tournament of the year, she finished 9th at the Boilermaker at Purdue. She then had an outstanding 16th place finish at the Annika, a tournament featuring the top 12 women’s teams in the country. She finished 15th at the Michigan State tournament and 35th at the Ron Moore in Denver, Colorado.

“She has a huge heart and cares about the team,” said Coach Matt Higgins. “Golf is just golf to Mariana.”

Mariana Mesones is a big talent in women’s collegiate golf. The mental burden, living in fear of her mother’s safety, has to be terrifying. The situation is complicated, confusing and difficult to understand. The officials in the country are corrupt. Mariana and her family have a lot to add to our country. Let’s hope they have a chance to prove it in A Life In Golf.