And indeed, Mira agreed to do the interview today via Zoom. He explained that those laws exist for a reason and as a citizen, he has a right to use them.
Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs
"First of all, I don't know what backlash you're talking and what complaint. This is a complaint that I made because I believe what my name was being slandered. Laws are here in Belize, and those apply to everyone. There's not a selected few. So if you believe that some force, is slandering your name, you have a recourse. You have a way that you can go and make your report and make the police, investigate the report."
Courtney Menzies:
"Some are saying, though, that you while the law exists, it exists particularly for certain cases, such as, you know, children being cyber bullied, woman being, you know, revenge porn happening against them, these types of things. Some would say that you as a politician, as somebody in public life who should be open to criticism, you are abusing this law."
Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs
"Laws are not there to be abused. Laws are there to be followed. I am a citizen as well. My constitutional right is not suspended because I am a public servant or I'm a public figure. I think that we all have constitutional rights. We all have the right to ensure that nobody slanders in your name. While I think the some may have a point of view, there are others, many others who have a different point of view. You see, criticism is one thing. I have been criticized from the time I took over this post at the Ministry of Home Affairs, and I don't mind criticism. I learn from criticism. If there's constructive criticism, I learn, I listen. But there's a difference between criticism and slandering of your name and the difference. You must not cross because you can post whatever you want, but there's a responsibility that comes with it. And that responsibility is for you to know when not to cross a line."
And August's post was based off both the area rep and the mayor's commentary about Zamar Alvarez, who was killed in Belmopan in February. Alvarez was shunned and disowned by the leaders of his community, despite being born there. We asked Mira if he understood that the post was making a satire of his past remarks.
Courtney Menzies:
"This is just a satirical post making a commentary on a previous comment that you all made."
Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs
"Then you must say that, you must give the impression that this is what I said in this case, we're not looking another case. I'm looking at just one case. Then you must say that that is what you are doing. Don't leave it there and have people believe. Because if you go on the comments, many people believe that that is something that I said. And if you want to make fun, if you want to satire or whatever it is that you want to call it, then you then you go ahead on you and you say, you know, I'm joking, this is what the man said a long time ago. Don't leave it as if, though in this particular instance, those were my words, because I got a lot of messages as well from innocent people who would say to me, who said to me, Mr. Mira, what would you say something like this. And I and I never knew about it because I was busy that day."
"And, if you want to make fun of a serious situation like this and if you want to make a joke out of serious situation, that's what happened in Belmopan last week Friday, then make sure people know that it's a joke."
