Last night we told you about the 16 Cubans and two Nicaraguans caught in Orange Walk in a human smuggling operation.
Well, today all 18 of them went to Magistrate's court in Orange Walk. They are charged for immigration offenses - being unable to provide a visitors permit. CTV-3 reports that most of the Cubans, except two pleaded not guilty. Two of them did plead guilty plus the two Nicaraguans also pleaded guilty. But it doesn't need there; they are expected to return to court tomorrow because there was some confusion and some wanted to change their plea.
We are told police have been preparing charges for the three Belizeans - two from Orange Walk and one from Belmopan - who were driving the vans used for the smuggling operation.
And, an exasperated Ministry of Immigration sent out a press release lamenting that since the re-opening of the land borders earlier this year, the Department of Border Management and Immigration has, quote, "seen an upsurge in the number of Cubans, among other nationals, entering Belize via irregular means."
The release adds that they are, quote, "utilizing the Refugees Program to avoid repatriation and are being handed over to Help for Progress." End quote.
But, a reading of the release lets on that arrangement hasn't been going that well, noting that the 13 Cubans who were released to the Human Rights Commission of Belize last month "are no longer at the shelter."
The release says that the department has seen a total of 39 Cubans, quote, "whose primary aim remains to reach the US/Mexico Border using Belize as a transit point." The press release then notes the latest intercept of these 16 Cubans, with the clear suggestion that they have the same plan.
