Benque Viejo Mayor Responds to Attacks from Benque Viejo Councilors over Town’s Boundaries

According to Benque Viejo Mayor Jorge Rosales, similar demarcation exercises are being undertaken in municipalities across the country. He showed us proposed boundaries for San Pedro, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Dangriga, Orange Walk and Punta Gorda. Mayor Rosales says that as a practice, boundaries are reviewed by municipal governments every fifteen years. Notwithstanding other municipalities are engaging in the same process, Mayor Rosales is facing troubles within his own administration. Two of his councilors have decried the proposed boundary lines. But, Mayor Rosales, who did not shy away from showing us copies of those statements from his own council members, says, “not so fast”. According to Rosales, those same councilors signed a resolution back in April 2022 to expand the boundary lines.

Jorge Rosales

Jorge Rosales, Mayor, Benque Viejo Town Council

“Whosoever is thinking we are taking, here are some comments which are people from the same council commenting against the council, which I don’t know why they are attacking the council, and we have a resolution signed by the very own councilors who are attacking the council. Three council, two councilors are putting stuff in Facebook, which they are part of the council and they are part of the council, and they signed the resolution. So, I don’t know. Here is a resolution that we sent to local government signed by all the councilors, Vannia Garcia, Terresita Alvarado, Coccom, Oscar Gongora, Ventura, and myself. All of us have signed this resolution for the demarcation to be expanded and to be official.  This is a proposal. This is the resolution for the proposal.”

Paul Lopez

When was the resolution signed?

Jorge Rosales

“This was for the twenty-ninth of April last year, and here are the names of all the councilors.”