Was Rupert Myles Aggressive in Santa Cruz?

Oscar Requeña

Requeña says that Saturday’s events were precipitated by the very aggressive behaviour of Rupert Myles when he attended a meeting following months of being invited to speak to village leaders.

Oscar Requeña, Area Representative. Toledo West

“On Saturday, which was June the twentieth; he came, he barged into the community center, he slammed the table and was very disrespectful to the Alcalde and the community of Santa Cruz. In fact, he said wait, I am going to the vehicle and I am going to get my gun. It was on that basis that the Alcalde, who has the authority—and I want to correct the prime minister. The prime minister said that the Alcalde does not have the authority to arrest. The Alcalde has the authority to arrest within the community, Jules. And it was on that basis that they felt threatened, the community felt threatened that the Alcalde ordered the village police men—who are a legal part of the Alcalde system—ordered them to detain Mister Myles. I want to make it absolutely clear that from my discussion with the community, Mister Myles was never abused; he was never imprisoned as the prime minister said. He was treated fairly. It was merely a matter of detaining him because the villagers felt they were being threatened, Jules. Thereafter, the Alcalde made contact with the Punta Gorda Police. They went first to Pueblo Viejo, then to San Antonio; could not locate any police. Then they called Punta Gorda just to be told by the Punta Gorda formation that they did not have fuel, they did not have a vehicle to be able to move. It is a shame Jules; it is a shame, it is a shame. Of course this is after the Alcalde and the Maya Leaders Alliance had reported this matter way back to the Officer in Charge Punta Gorda. Three months after they went back to follow up with him, he said oh I lost the number, can you give me the number again; I’ve not been able to contact the guy. What this is showing, Jules, is that there is a clear systematic breakdown in the level of response by the relevant authorities that could have averted this entire situation.”