Residents share testimonies of slain businessman

John Briceño

Cervantes was buried yesterday evening, immediately after an autopsy was conducted on his body at the site where it was discovered. His sudden, violent loss has shocked, saddened and angered the community, of which he was a vital part. He was a long-time teacher, a former Mayor and Senator, a businessman and farmer, and his life has made an indelible mark on the very tight knit northern community. Today his friends and colleagues remembered the hard-working, humble man.

John Briceño, Former Party Leader, P.U.P.

“Mr. Ramon was an all around man and despite the success that he had in life, he never lost that humbleness in him; that humility. He came from a very poor family from the San Antonio Village in the Orange Walk and I think he never forgot his roots. And that is why he got into trouble. Here’s this seventy-one year old man who has a fairly successful business, but still wants to work in the field—out with a backpack spraying his cane fields all alone. This was the kind of man Don Ramon was; always driving his signature old jeep that he used to move around even though he had a fancy vehicle…that was the vehicle that he loved. So certainly Don Ramon is going to be surely missed by all because of the impact that he have had in hundred of hundreds of Orange Walkeños in one way or the other.”

Alfredo Ortega

Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, Committee of Management, BSCFA

“He has served the community as a teacher; he served the community as mayor; he served Belize as a senator…so he has served his country in various capacities. And he has also been very helpful in many instances with our organization with football teams, with groups; I think he has a very good amount of godsons and goddaughters for either confirmations or baptisms…even marriage; many people have sought his assistance in that regard. And I think that has placed him as a great figure within the Orange Walk District and I think his business as a businessman, all the company that he has under his care—the San Isidro Company—I think that those things have made him very known in the community. And also his humbleness as a cane farmer.”

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Mayor, Orange Walk Town

“I am out here one, to support our residents, support the family of Mister Ramon Cervantes and I too demand justice of this heinous crime that has been committed on our brother, our friend. A community leader, someone who served this town; someone who served this country as a senator; a teacher who has moulded a lot of students and a lot of us who attended La Immaculada School would know that Mister Ramon Cervantes was a very good person, a very humble individual and what has happened to him is so sad. It is totally tearing this community apart, but now we have seen where people are uniting for a purpose—uniting in the sense that we need to bring real justice to the people that have created this crime.”

Late this evening, Orange Walk Police confirmed that they have not received directives from the D.P.P. in regards to charges, or not, for those allegedly involved in the kidnapping and murder.