Belize Ambassador Denies Involvement of A Belizean Vehicle in Chetumal Abduction

Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico, Oscar Arnold, says there are no official reports that a vehicle from Belize was involved in the abduction of a taxi driver in Chetumal earlier this week.  Reports out of the neighbouring city say that the victim was taken from his cab just before midday on Monday and pushed inside a van with Belize license plates.  By Tuesday morning the driver was found dead in the driveway of a police officer in Chetumal.  As it relates to Belizeans getting involved in major crimes over in Mexico, Ambassador Arnold says the numbers are minimal.  As a matter of fact, he says that to date there are about six Belizeans who are incarcerated over in Mexico.

Oscar Arnold, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico: “Officially, we have six on our records, six Belizean nationals who are currently serving time in Mexican prison for varying different offenses, robberies, stolen vehicles, assault, attempted murder.”

Reporter: So they’ve already been convicted there. They’re serving time. 

Oscar Arnold, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico: “They’ve had their cases, they’re serving their time, but we still do provide a lot of consular assistance to them. In a few cases, some of them would reach out to the embassy through either a family member or through their lawyers if they feel that their human rights is being abused and in those instances then we would have to look into it. I’ve had to travel in a couple of instances to visit the prisons, speak with individuals there and to find out exactly what was happening on the ground.”

In related news, the drug trade continues unabated over in Chetumal.  As recent as this week, the Mexican Navy confiscated more than 3 tonnes of cocaine off the coast of Quintana Roo and have arrested three persons.  The cocaine was found packaged off in 153 rectangular parcels.  Love News understands that the Navy was on regular patrol when they happened upon a vessel in Mexican waters along the Quintanarroese coast.