Ambassador expelled from Guatemala
He brought our men home from Guatemala and today he’s paying the price. On Tuesday, Ambassador Salvador Figueroa, who had only just unpacked his bags, was expelled from Guatemala. His crime? Apparently the three Belizean soldiers and one policeman, who were released into his custody by a judge on Friday, were not supposed to leave the country. News Five spoke to Figueroa by phone in Washington D.C., where he is standing by to argue Belize’s case before the OAS. The proudly unrepentant Ambassador explained that in diplomacy, as in life, sometimes you just “gotta do what you gotta do.”
Salvador Figueroa, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico
“I was expelled when it became apparent that the three soldiers and the policeman, who were under my custody legally, had returned to Belize and the Guatemalans ostensibly took offense to the fact that in their view I violated the bail agreement.”
Stewart Krohn, Reporting
“How do you feel about that?”
Salvador Figueroa
“Well first of all, it’s never a good thing to be thrown out of somebody’s country, to be asked to leave, so that’s not a good thing, but I have no regrets at all. What I did I did because I work for Belize, and that’s what Belize wanted and demanded. That comes first, so I feel good about that because I know that a lot of people were very relieved and very happy that they’re home. Secondly–and I believe in this one hundred percent–they were illegally arrested–kidnapped, whatever words you want to use–in Belizean territory. In my opinion, whatever happens in Belizean territory is under Belize jurisdiction and I don’t believe they should have been put through the Guatemalan justice system. In fact, the international Red Cross is extremely concerned. That our soldiers…that the Red Cross was not informed by Guatemala that they had been arrested and were being held. So they should have never been treated like common criminals and put through the Guatemala justice system. So as far as I’m concerned there is no jurisdiction there. I brought them home. I have no regrets about that. In fact I’m quite happy about it.”
Stewart Krohn
“How do you think this incident will effect the short and long term relationship with Guatemala?”
Salvador Figueroa
“Well clearly it affects the short term…and I’m hoping it’s the very short term. I must say that yesterday when I went in to a meeting expecting to talk about what we were going to do in the short term and how we could get this thing rolling again, and instead was informed of the decision. From my point of view I don’t want the incident to interfere with the future relationship between the two countries. I harbour no animosity. I did what I had to do. They did what they felt they had to do. But at the end of the day that should play a small role in the future. It just doesn’t benefit either side to let this interfere with it and I’ve said it to the press in Guatemala: this is no reason to break down relations, it’s no reason to end diplomatic relations. What we need to do is clear the air and get this thing moving again in a positive direction. It’s unfortunate and I don’t believe it’s any coincidence that these young men were illegally arrested at the time of the meeting in Miami. It behooves me to question whether there are elements in Guatemala who purposely tried to stop those talks knowing what our reaction would be. The people who think more clearly and the more people who have better vision of a better future between both of us have to work to get through this; this is just a small incident concerning me. As far as I’m concerned I certainly would never do anything to hold animosity as to make this stop what needs to be done.”
Also in Washington D.C. is Guatemalan Deputy Foreign Minister Rafael Salazar. The OAS, however, did not take up the Belize-Guatemalan problem today, and it is not certain they will do so. While Ambassador Figueroa is expected to return shortly to his base in Mexico City it is not certain who will take over as Charge d’Affaires in Guatemala. The likely choice is Belmopan based Foreign Service Officer Edith Gahona, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not confirm that appointment. Meanwhile, News Five understands that the man who holds the substantive post as Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Mike Mena, is gravely ill with cancer and remains hospitalized in the United States.
