We also got the Prime Minister - as Minister of Immigration - to comment on the story we told about last night. It's the story of Wilbert Castillo of SAn Ignacio, Belize and Glaucia Andrade of Sao Paulo, Brazil - the star crossed couple - who planned to spend Christmas in Belize together - but their plans were dashed when she was refused entry to Belize.
That's after she flew up from South America on Copa Airlines - whose passengers are often flagged for human smuggling.
But, Andrade - by all outward indications - was a legitimate visitor - who had reservations booked across Belize - and a boyfriend waiting for her.
So, was she profiled because she is from South America? The PM says the Department of Immigration has to take precautions - and that she can always come back:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Basically what has happened, there's a policy, they've set up certain criteria when someone is coming in, we've had a number of instances when people from South America would come to Belize in an attempt to be able to get into the United States. They see that our borders are fairly porous with Mexico and so they think it's easier, fly to Belize and then from PGIA to the Mexican border to the north it's an hour and a half, two hours, you're there. If they land in Guatemala City, they have hours of traveling to do so I think they find it easier to go through. I'm not suggesting that this person wanted to do the same but based on the past, there's a profile that our officers look at so when the officers saw that profile, the officer brought it up to the port commander, that port commander consulted with another port commander. And they all came to the conclusion that that person does not meet the criteria and it's best that that person not be allowed to come into Belize. The persons were understanding and we handled it very professionally and the person is welcomed to come back once they could satisfy the immigration officers that they're coming here for a holiday."
Courtney Menzies:
"What more would she need to show? She had the bookings and whatever."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Many instances you know they do bookings and they spend one night and disappear. I'm not suggesting this person was doing that, I'm just talking about the profile that has been built and what are the things that they need to look out for. Bookings alone in many instances isn't enough because they would stay one night and they would cancel their bookings and then they leave."
