All last week, the news was dominated by the kidnapping, torture and murder of 71 year-old Ramon Cervantes Sr, and the discovery of 46 year-old Sonia Abac's bod. Well, this weekend, it was all about the state funeral for the late Ambassador Fred Martinez.
We'll tell you about that later, but for effect, some 70 or so residents from Orange Walk stood and waited for the Government Representatives and the Prime Minister to pass by in the funeral procession to stage a protest on behalf of the deceased residents and their high profile murders.
One of the protesters spoke with our colleagues from CTV 3 News, and explained its importance:
Sylvia Gillett - Protester
"We are here because we are mostly because only 4 persons were charged, one has not even been caught. We do not think that only 4 persons carried out this heinous crime here in Orange Walk and by this mean Mr. Ramon Cervantes and Ms. Sonia Abac, not only Mr. Cervantes. These 4 young men who were charged are just the scapegoats; they are the persons I think that were hired by someone higher to commit this crime and there were other persons involved who were questioned and released and we strongly believe that they could
have been charged. Aiding and abetting an conspiracy is a crime, so there could have been other charges brought against the others that were detained. We are not satisfy with only those 4 who were charged and we are here to ask for justice for these two persons murdered and on behalf of the Orange Walk community, because I know that the entire Orange Walk community wants to see justice for these two persons. This lady was someone hard working in the community from a poor family, only working to make a little buck and she went missing. If it was not for Mr. Ramon that went missing they would not have found her, so as a woman I am here for her and as a member and a friend of Mr. Ramon I am here for Mr. Ramon also."
Later on in the News, we'll show you those Government officials gave the late Ambassador Martinez a memorable send off.
