On Friday in the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Dean Barrow directly accused the PUP's Ramon Monchie Cervantez of being behind death threats which were sent to Orange Walk North Representative Gaspar Vega. the Prime Minister said those threats were, quote, "promulgated in particular by (Monchie Cervantez)."
The topic came up when the PUP Representative for Orange Walk South asked why Vega still has around the clock police security.
As has been very widely reported, Vega and Cervantez are more than just political rivals, Cervantes has accused Vega of being linked to his father's murder - which took place exactly three years ago, in June of 2014.
And now in June of 2017, the Prime Minister said in the House on Friday that Ramon Jr. is behind death threats to Vega. Well Cervantes isn't an elected member of the House, so he couldn't respond across the floor. Instead, he called a press conference today to reply to the PM. Here's the PM's allegation and Monchie's response:...
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"There were all sorts of threats made against him and his family, as far as we can determine, promulgated in particular by his defeated PUP opponent from the last election."
Ramon "Monchi" Cervantez, PUP Std. Bearer - OW North
"That is damn blasted lie that he said."
Jules Vasquez
"It is not unthinkable that in a case of such animus, so much dislike between you all, that someone maybe from your camp would say bwai I tiad ah dis man, mek wi harrass dis man. This happens in politics a lot. Might anything like that have happened?"
Ramon "Monchi" Cervantez, PUP Std. Bearer - OW North
"What I will say Jules is that the Prime Minister, I assert unequivocally that the Prime Minister cannot point to any genuine and official record of any complaint made against me. He cannot point to any event in which the police interrogated or interviewed me in relation to his accusation, to support what he said in the House of Representatives."
Reporter
"Have you asked anyone from your camp, without you knowing, that they did such a thing? Have you ensured that they did not do such a thing?"
Ramon "Monchi" Cervantez, PUP Std. Bearer - OW North
"That's why, I am not aware. Many people called me saying what is the Prime Minister talking about. No one has threatened Vega or his family."
