Guatemalans Ordered to Leave the Country, But Who Gave the Order?
Marvin Manzanero
The Guatemalans, however, did not remain in the quarantine facility because on Sunday they were whisked away to the western border. Reports surfaced that the Belizean, who was caught with the Guatemalans, contacted a well-known and established Chinese businessman in Belmopan to pull strings for the men to be released. But according to Doctor Manzanero, the men did not escape nor were they released, they were given an order to leave the country. It is raising eyebrows because, under the current circumstances, the agreed procedure is that anyone who enters Belize will be placed under mandatory quarantine for fourteen days and anyone who enters illegally will have to undergo the quarantine period before facing any criminal charges. To make matters worse, the men were ordered to leave on Sunday, two days before the text returned positive.
Hipolito Novelo
“That order to leave was in consultation with the officials from the Ministry of Health?”
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
“When you are caught by the police you have a legal matter that is dealt by the police and immigration depending on where and how you are caught. Our responsibility in that is one, once you are in a quarantine facility look at your health status, swabbed you if possible and ensure that you are not having patient that is showing any sign or symptom mixing with other in the quarantine facility. We were not necessarily alerted on the Sunday that he was being ordered to leave. As I said that is a situation that is handled by other ministries. I am assuming that all the ministries would be submitting a joint report for everybody to review. I know right now C.E.O. Gough is in discussions with other C.E.O. to see how we bridge potential miscommunications that may have happen and see whose responsibility it is in terms of how you go through a process flow when the patient arrives or when he is leaving the quarantine facility.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Isn’t it procedure now that if anyone is caught illegally entering the country that they would be quarantined, swabbed and then criminal matters or police matters would be brought against them after they fourteen day quarantine?”
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“Yes, but that is why I said from the health standpoint that is what I am able to answer. I don’t have the written report as to what decision was taken and why he was ordered to leave on the Sunday.”
Doctor Manzanero says that investigations are ongoing.
