Budna Explains His Arrest and Release in Belize

Joseph Budna

According to Budna, on Thursday a  group of plainclothes police officers swooped down on him as he was walking along the George Price Highway near Camalote Village.  With guns trained on him, Budna was taken into custody in Belmopan where he was held for a little over forty-eight hours.  When News Five spoke with Commissioner of Police Chester Williams on Friday, we were informed that Budna was also wanted in Belize and that prosecutors were seeking to revisit a case before the local courts.  There was also initial mention of a prisoner exchange in which Budna would have been returned to Guatemala to serve out the remainder of his sentence.  But in the absence of an extradition treaty, Budna had to be released from custody and is once again a free man.  He explained his arrest and subsequent release.

Joseph Budna, Escaped from Guatemalan Prison

“I understand and I know this for a fact, that if a country does not have an extradition treaty there is no way that you can take back a Belizean to a country that does not have an extradition treaty with Belize.  Now you arrest a person [and] within forty-eight hours that person should be charged, like in the case of Thursday.  I was never arrested by my mom’s house; I was picked up on the highway.  Guns were all over, I didn’t resist because I know that I am home and I have no problem here in Belize.  I did not resist, I collaborated with them even though it was unknown vehicle without license plates and civilian persons, you know.  They brought me, I invited them to my mother’s home to take a look, you know, they had a little search and they were surprised that Mr. Budna noh have not even wahn knife pan ahn.  Why would I want that in my country?  Did I come from Guatemala to give problems in my own country?  No.  What I want is to be a better person and show that just like how politicians’ sons can change, there is the case of Mr. Honorable Prime Minister’s son, he changed from his past.  I could change and he supports his son and many Belizeans support him.”