Mom seeks justice for murdered son
On October twenty-third, twenty-two year old Jorge Alberto Vidal, a resident of Succotz Village, travelled across the border to neighbouring Melchor de Mencos to buy a pair of boots. He also decided to do some socializing at one of that town’s many bars. It is there that he apparently became involved in an argument over a football game with another man identified as an eighteen year old Belizean. According to reports, the eighteen year old and four of his Belizean friends started beating Vidal inside the club. By the time the fight was over, Vidal lay dead on the ground with a broken nose, ribs and several severe internal injuries. Today, Vidal’s mother, Candida Vidal, visited News 5 to say the family has been frustrated by what they describe as a lack of effort by authorities to arrest and charge the young men they believe killed their loved one. Vidal says one day after the murder, the police did detain the prime suspect, but he was released.
Candida Vidal, Mother
?I, the mother I want the law make justice to him because this is a hard thing for us and I want them to make justice to him because they dais that they will leave it just like that, but I don?t know why they will just leave it just like that because my son?s death is not just like that for them to leave it. So I want the law to make justice to him.?
?I come to the human rights and he tell me he will talk to his lawyer and they will see what they could do for me. But when I gone a next day, they tell me that they can?t do nothing because the thing happened over at Melchor. So they can?t do nothing. They say so I don?t know.?
Jacqueline Woods
?And what the police tell you??
Candida Vidal
?The police they tell me the same thing. Inspector Gentle told me that he sorry because he can?t do nothing because the thing didn?t happen here in Belize, it happened in Melchor. The crime occurred in Melchor so they say they can?t do nothing.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Mr. Reid what have Belizean authorities been doing to address this case??
G.Michael Reid B Police Press Officer
?This is a very complex situation we are dealing with. First of all, we are dealing with a crime that apparently happened across the border, in another country. You cannot try a person for a crime committed in one country, in another country. So what we have been trying to do is to enlist the aid of the Guatemalans and to urge them to do everything possible. We have accommodated in every way. We have taken statements from individuals who are supposing eyewitness to this account. We are asking them to do everything they can. We are now addressing this at an even higher level.?
?As is there is no extradition treaty as such with the country of Guatemala. But there is a treaty that was signed way back in 1856 or some time around then that would we believe that might assist us in this matter. We understand the grief of the family. We understand how hopeless it seems. We need to assure them that the Police Department is doing everything possible and we certainly want to see some closure to this case. We want to see those who are guilty brought to justice and indeed if its is a situation of a murder, then even more we have to address this and we cannot just have a murderer walking around free.?
Vidal had stopped by our studios following a visit with Ombudsman Paul Rodriguez. According to Vidal, she will not stop knocking on doors until her son’s killer is brought to justice.
