Our next story is about a couple, one Brazilian and Belizean: Glaucia from Sao Paulo and Wilbert from San Ignacio - and they are trying to make a long distance relationship work. But, all their best laid plans to spend Christmas together exploring Belize fell apart over the weekend when she was refused entry at the airport.
Why? Well it began with her COPA flight from Panama to Belize which is screened very heavily for human smuggling. As a single unaccompanied female Glaucia fell into a risk profile - and she never got cleared to enter Belize by the Immigration Department. Jules Vasquez spoke to them both by zoom:
Wilbert Castillo from Cayo and Glaucia Andrade are in a long distance relationship - but they've never met in person and video calls like this are probably as close as they get.
Wilbert Castillo, Belizean
"So we met online and we began talking and we realized we had all these things in common, I mean she is an environmental engineer and I was studying at that time when we meet. I was completing my bachelor's degree at the University of Belize and we sparked like that."
Glaucia Andrade, Brazilian - Refused Entry
"The beginning the relationship in May, I think, and we have too many things in common and I like the person he is and I don't want to wait too much."
That was all set to change when Glaucia flew from Brazil to Belize last week for a four week vacation.
Wilbert Castillo, Belizean
"So we began planning and she researched all these accommodations and she shared this with me and I told her what I thought about the places and she wants to see the reef, do some snorkeling, a couple of hiking, you know, regular tourist stuff that anybody would want to see and what you would want to show people when they come to your country."
"So we decided, you know, she's gonna make this trip. That's her vacation and having someone that you know and you're in a relationship with to share the experience, it's just a plus to everything."
They had made all the plans and these are the reservations, but she never got past the airport.
Glaucia Andrade, Refused Entry
"And I don't talk too much when I arrived and I was afraid that I say something wrong. They begin saying that I don't have this money to stay in the country and I say I have this money. If you want more proof I can show that my contract work in Brazil."
Jules Vasquez
"One fo the red flags about your travel was that you only had 16 US dollars and they say that amount of cash is not consistent with someone who plans to stay in the country."
Glaucia Andrade, Refused Entry
"Yes, I said I don't have too much money in cash really. I have the card and the global card with the money that I do and there is my money. But nothing is good and he said he don't accept me and you will not enter the country."
And by Sunday she was headed back to Brazil:
Glaucia Andrade, Refused Entry
"Angry, certainly."
Wilbert Castillo, Belizean
"I was frightened. I was worried about her because I am the only person she knew in the country. Even though she's coming on vacation, I wanted to make sure that everything was okay. And I didn't even had a chance to do anything for her. I wasn't allowed to show that we had the reservation. I wasn't allowed to speak with her or anything. I felt as well that was very unfair. I mean, where is the diplomacy? Where is the public relations? Why are the immigration regulations designed to protect this, protect people to make decisions like this, to refuse people entry? And it's not a unanimous decision. It wasn't reviewed. It was final. Like she said, the port commander even told me that I'm sorry we're refusing her entry into the country and the decision is final. And that's it. And I told her, I understand if you never want to enter Belize again. I mean, if that would happen to me in any other country, I would feel the same way."
Now the couple is working on getting refunds on their reservations and they say they've learned a costly lesson:
Wilbert Castillo, Belizean
"It was an eye-opening situation for me."
Glaucia Andrade, Refused Entry
"In the first moment, I said, I never go to Belize again. And, but I know that my rational part, take care, take care. And I think that I have to do the things different and I'm go prepare the things for entering the country with more papers, more proof all in my hands."
Jules Vasquez
"Wilbert you're gonna have a blue christmas."
Wilbert Castillo, Belizean
"I mean, I don't think it's all gone. We'll find a way to work around that."
Sources tell us the Immigration department made its decision to refuse leave to land based largely on the small amount of cash she carried.
