PM Briceño and his Chief of Staff Test Positive for COVID-19

John Briceño

The coronavirus has reached the top levels of government.  The Office of the Prime Minister has confirmed that PM John Briceño has tested positive for COVID-19. Briceño was swabbed today in Belize City and the results came back positive; he is asymptomatic.  Since taking office, the PM has been moving around establishing his government and in the past few days, he visited flooded areas in the northern parts of the country.  The PM will be spending two weeks in isolation and since work continues, Tuesday’s cabinet meeting will be held virtually.

Stuart Leslie

His Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary, Stuart Leslie, has also tested positive and is showing minor symptoms.  Tests results have come back negative for Briceño’s family.  Since the November eleventh elections, Jorge “Melin” Espat from Cayo West and Mike Espat from Toledo East, have also tested positive.  Those persons, including cabinet ministers, who have been in close contact with the PM, will also be swabbed.