Expelled union organisers return to Belize

Four men wrongly expelled from Belize on Thursday morning were welcomed back by their families over the weekend in Dangriga. The boat, dispatched by Prime Minister Said Musa when he rescinded the expulsion order on Thursday evening, picked the men up in Puerto Cortez, Honduras. Two of the men, Oscar Maradiaga and Rigoberto Maldanado, were naturalised Belizeans, who by law could not be expelled from their country of citizenship. Upon their arrival in Dangriga, veteran labour leader Antonio Gonzalez proclaimed the return a victory for human rights.

Antonio Gonzalez

“The struggle continues, the struggle continues, the struggle continues. Praise the Lord for their return. We look forward to seeing improvement in the banana industry. We look forward to having a good partnership with the people in the banana industry. This in itself is a sign that we can work together and that we can defend the rights of individuals.”

The men, former banana workers, had been active in union activity and it is believed that they were expelled by Minister of Immigration Max Samuels at the behest of their former employer, Mayan King banana farm.