We've been steadily reporting on Haitian nationals being smuggled through Belize. Most recent figures show that since January of last year, 2,095 Haitians flew into Belize with return tickets to Haiti, but only 121 of them actually flew back out through the P G I A.
And that's why the Immigration Department has been on elevated alert for these CARICOM nationals - who, as of this week, now need a visa to enter Belize.
But, tonight, an attorney is saying that the Immigration Department broke every rule when it smuggled a Haitian national out of the prison, and out of the country and dumped him in Guatemala. He's named Abi Aladdin and he was awaiting hearing for habeas corpus claiming that he was wrongly imprisoned.
But, before he could get before a judge, he was served with an order to leave.
His attorney Arthur Saldivar says he was seeking asylum in Belize:
Arthur Saldivar, Attorney-At-Law
"Now, Abi Aladdin is his name, Abi Aladdin is the son of a retired teacher and police officer. His father was persecuted as a result of the unrest going on in Haiti. He left Haiti for fear of his life . He was seeking asylum in Belize. He wanted to live here. He was made to spend 6 months at the Kolbe facility and after his first hearing for Habeas Corpus which was adjourned to Monday the third of April instead of having him come before the court where his matter would have been ventilated where the abuses, the human rights abuse that he endured would have been brought to night. They took him like thieves in the night at the behest of the director of immigration, Debra Estrada and dumped him across the border in Guatemala without even going through an immigration departure point. This is certainly not what we expect from persons who are agents of the state, charged with the responsibility to uphold the law. Certainly we would know that if you are coming into Belize, you should present yourself at a border station, present your documents, be processed and you are allowed to enter. If you leave, if you are leaving Belize, the same is true, you must present yourself at a point of exit and your papers are processed and you leave. Now, given that Mr Aladdin is from Haiti there is no way under the law that he should have been placed in Guatemala. Guatemala is not a CARICOM nation, Guatemala is not his home country. He should have been boarded on a plane and sent back to Haiti if that was what they wanted to do, but not even that. What is most egregious, what is most troubling is the contempt for the court and the processes of the court. The director of immigration needs to be sanctioned for what she has done here because no underling from the immigration department could have gone to the Kolbe facility move a prisoner without having the sanction of their boss. In fact when I spoke to the people at Kolbe, they were at pains to tell me they were telling them. They told them that there is a court case that this man is to appear in court on Monday. They said Ms Estrada wants him in Belmopan that is what was communicated to me. Ms Estrada wants him in Belmopan. So, when I got wind of the matter and asked what was going on, the person responsible for, I think they call it an EPA or EDA or whatever it is, Mr Pulido, was at work. I would have thought that he was the person to know what was taking place and well, you can't get Ms Estrada she is as scarce as the pope. She is not a very accessible person. She knows to give orders but doesn't serve the public."
"We are a country of laws and the Supreme Court, the high court now is the guardian of our constitution and the constitutional rights of all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Belize. Abi Aladdin was within the geographical jurisdiction of Belize as a ward of the state until his matter was heard. It was to be heard on Monday, Monday is right here man."
"Unprecedented, totally unprecedented and I am telling you it really shocks me because I have great respect for the minister of immigration as a senior attorney but to have his director of immigration go rogue like this it really and truly casts a cloud over his leadership."
We reached out to both the Director Of Immigration, Debra Baptist Estrada, and the Minister of Immigration, Eamon Courtenay for comment. She did not reply, but he said, quote, "Aladdin entered Belize illegally. He was charged and pleaded guilty. He was fined $1000 in default 6 months. He did not pay and served time. The court issued an order for his removal from Belize. Consistent with that order he was removed." End quote.
And why to Guatemala? Courtenay explains that "He entered from Guatemala and was returned there" which he says is standard procedure.
Our sources however tell us that no records exist on the immigration system of this Haitian being moved through the western border.
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