The passengers have been taken to the Biltmore Plaza Hotel, and COPA Airlines will cover their accommodations, food, water, return flights, and the Police guard that will be watching over them. They will be flown home on Saturday.
As viewers will remember, this is the second time that Immigration Authorities have refused to allow COPA passengers to land in Belize.
At the end of their disclosure, the Ministry, said, quote, "Belize remains concerned about the irregular flow of migrants in Central America and Belize. We will continue to monitor these flows in cooperation with our international partners."
The Minister was asked about that today, and here's what he had to say:
Hon. Eamon Courtenay - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"We have had meetings with representatives from Copa Airlines, where we have shared with them our concerns for these flights. We have shared with them our concern for what we regard as insufficient screening. We have shared with them our concern for the turnaround time because the flight arrives and it's like 50+ minutes before it leaves. There's a line in the arrival area, and before we can finish that, they are looking to leave, which presents a problem, hence the arrangement for TAG. I believe, because of the irregular flow of migrants, Guatemala has now imposed a visa requirement for Venezuelans and Ecuadorians are going into Guatemala, Mexico tomorrow, I believe it is, Mexico will now impose a visa requirement for Venezuelans. Because of these hurdles, people are finding other ways to go north. We are in cooperation with our international partners who track these things and who look at flows, closely monitoring the flow of persons into and through Belize. As a result of this particular flight, we will have to have far more detailed discussions with the authorities in Panama. We will also have to have deeper discussions with the authorities from both. The Government of Belize, in cooperation with all partners, and in accordance with the law, intends to fight to the best of our ability against the irregular flow of migrants through Belize. That is our objective and we will continue to cooperate with airlines, governments, and international organizations to manage and to ensure as best as possible we can stop. Or, I should say, reduce the irregular flow. The reason for the delay in putting them in the hotel was corpus for the immigration law so that it is the expense of their lives, and it kind of brings in a person who almost done it."
