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He Wanted to Get Into Belize; He Ended Up In Lockdown
posted (May 13, 2020)
And while that border issue appears to have been solved, there's still another in the news. That's the case of Guillermo Foreman who we have been reporting on for the past two nights.

He drove from the US earlier this month, and ended up in a kind of no man's land - stuck at the southern approach of the Chactemal bridge between Belize and Mexico. He was in Belize territory, but stuck there because the border is closed.

The Belmopan resident who is returning from the US arrived there on Friday - and was pleading with the government to let him into his country - even if it meant doing a COVID test.

Well, they did let him in, but in handcuffs. Police detained Foreman this morning. According to the Commissioner of Police, was taken into police custody, taken for a COVID swab. "As soon as the result is obtained if it negative he will be charged for violating the state of emergency regulations and taken to court. He faces three months in prison.

The COMPOL says he clearly is in Belizean territory, which he entered illegally since the border is closed. The Minister of State for immigration agrees, but also concedes that for the Department of Immigration - which usually charges for such offences - it is not that clear cut:

Hon. Beverly Williams, Minister of State, Immigration
"My view on that is that the borders were closed. I don't know if Mr. Foreman his explanation offered is that he thought the borders opened after the 30 days which was the initial period and so he came in. He is not in no man's land, he is in Belizean territory. However, for purposes for having entered Belize, you enter at the immigration station and that is considered at the time when you are entered, because that is specific that where the immigration post is is where you enter into Belize and so I don't know if you can still call it because it is till Belizean territory, so he entered there, but did not enter. We brought him in that's my understanding from what I read that he was brought into the country and then he was swabbed and tested and then he will be charged for illegal entry. Of course that is what makes it technical whether he had entered Belize because he did pass immigration until we allowed him to come beyond the points. But that's left for the lawyers to work it out."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Right, but immigration knew he was there and they didn't act on it. He had been there from Friday, they didn't act on it, eventually the police acted on it under a state of emergency regulations. Obviously you all did not act on it, because in your technical view it is beyond the north of the border crossing the border point of entry that you all manned and so it was not per say a violation."

Hon. Beverly Williams
"He was not in violation beyond the border point, because he didn't enter into Belize illegally. Again, as I said, he didn't cross the check point, he didn't enter at that check point and so for us he didn't for immigration purposes enter there, but because that is Belizean territory that is for the interpretation of the lawyers."

Foreman remains detained pending the verdict of his Covid test.

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