PM Says MLA/TAA Spoke Out of Turn

PM Briceño was also asked for his thoughts on the Maya Leaders Alliance’s actions in the south. Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, is on record saying that the MLA is riling up villagers unnecessarily. So, does the prime minister believe that the MLA and TAA enjoy the confidence of the majority of villagers in the forty-one Maya communities in Toledo? Here is what he told us.

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t think that is necessarily true. It can be debated whether they represent the majority or not because there are a lot of indigenous people that say I want my land. SO as a government we have to make that delicate walk to walk with everybody. Minister Dolores has the full confidence of the Cabinet to be able to address these issues. She is doing a good job. I would have to step in if there was a crisis but there is not. There is constant dialogue and action being taken in good faith on both sides except this time when I think the leader really spoke out of turn.”

Reporter

“But in their press conference they said that they feel much disrespected that the minister didn’t go to meet them in Santa Elena. They said that they would find you guys in your office, go to you anywhere, even in Belmopan. Are you concerned that it might end up like caneros where they are blocking the highway?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Well I can give them my address, it is number two Dunn Street, and they are welcome to Orange Walk to visit me anytime they want. But this is not how it works. Not because you say come to Santa Elena we have to come there, come on. We have been meeting regularly and why would you go into an area where you have a few hundred people that are not happy. You will go into a shouting match and that does not make sense. We need to be removed from that area where people will respond rationally.”