Minister Edmond Castro Says U.S. Revoked Diplomatic, Tourist Visas

Edmond Castro

On the eve of the expected testimony at the Senate Special Select Committee of whistleblower on visas Alvarine Burgess, Minister of National Emergency Management and Transport and Belize Rural North area representative Edmond Castro has confirmed via press release this evening that he has been notified of the U.S. Embassy cancelling his diplomatic and tourist visas for what he says is no specific reason. Castro was accused of making recommendations for several persons of Asian descent for a fee, a charge which he denied despite Burgess providing records to this station.  Both Burgess and this station were sued by Castro for defamation of character, but after two days of trial he discontinued the matter and later was assessed costs. Castro refused further comment when we contacted him via telephone this evening, stating, “If you got the press release, run the press release.”  According to Castro’s statement, he once held a green card which he turned in eight years ago in 2009, at which time he was offered both diplomatic and tourist visas. But he declined a recent invitation by the Embassy to discuss renewing the visas because he has no interest, he says, in travelling to the U.S. anytime soon and has not done so for the past three years. Nonetheless, the Embassy’s notice of visa revocation holds open an invitation to reappear before a U.S. consular officer.  Castro is also expected to appear before the Senate Select Committee since his name appears more than once in the Auditor General’s Report.