B.D.F. Commander Comments on Allegations of Sexual Abuse in the Force
Steven Ortega
The head of the Belize Defence Force Brigadier General Steven Ortega today braced for reporters who sought answers after allegations of despicable acts of sexual abuse against female recruits was first reported by News Five. The Ministry of National Security has launched an investigation into the allegations of extortion, maltreatment, sexual assault and sexual advances at Training Company. One of the victims who spoke to News Five on Thursday says that her life turned a living hell after she attempted to report the matter to her superiors who turned her backs on her. These gross allegations come after years of speculation that senior officers at the B.D.F. would protect one another. Ortega says he is not familiar with that culture within the B.D.F.
Brigadier General Steven Ortega, Commander, Belize Defence Force
“The Ministry sent out a press release that there is an ongoing investigation so whenever that investigation is concluded those who are found to be at fault will be disciplined.”
Reporter
“What are the procedures if such allegations are made?”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“If you have a complaint you pass it up to the chain of comment. You do a written report and that written report formulates whatever disciplinary measures is made against the accused and the accused gets a chance to defend himself and we go from there whatever the verdict is.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Sir one of the allegation is that there is a culture whereby senior officers protect each other to continue up the ranks?”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“I don’t know how much you know about the military but it is all about standards and discipline. That is the only culture I know about. Standards and discipline. There will always be like society some people who are rogue, who don’t know what they are suppose to do it when they are suppose to do it. But for the most part we go by that standard.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Sir how many complaints are we talking about? We heard about seventy complaints against these senior officers.”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“I wouldn’t know. I don’t see the report because at the end of the day they will come to me. So the investigators they go through whatever they need to do and they formulate what charges need to be filed and afterwards those come to me.”
Hipolito Novelo
“One of the victims who we spoke to yesterday said she went to the commandant with her complaints.”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“I am the commander presently and I haven’t received any complaints as such.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Have you spoken to any of the female recruits about those allegations of sexual assault?”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“None.”
Reporter
“As the commandant shouldn’t you know how many allegations have been made so far? This broke since Tuesday.”
Brigadier General Steven Ortega
“Yes, it broke since Tuesday, but I chose not to get involved in the investigation because I will at the end of the day try these cases. So that is like a judge being part of the investigation. How will that look?”
