Santa Cruz Village Chairlady Says that Police Unfairly Confiscated Canoes
The police has been active along border communities, attempting to put a lid on the movement of contraband goods. On Thursday, a dozen canoes were confiscated by Orange Walk Police when officers descended on the village of Santa Cruz, a community along the border with Mexico. It is a popular illegal point of entry where contrabandistas operate daily. Border jumpers will hop in a canoe and paddle across the Rio Hondo River into Botes, Mexico where items are bought at a cheaper price and brought to Belize. Authorities have been unable to put a stop to border jumping and so it was ordered that the canoes used to cross the river be confiscated. But the owners are upset because they say they are not guilty of border jumping. Chairlady Kimberly Medina expressed anger on behalf of the villagers.
On the Phone: Kimberly Medina, Chairlady, Santa Cruz Village
“If they wanting us to move the canoes, we would do it voluntary. This village is known in being a peaceful village because almost everybody is family. So we keep moving and working with them and we understand because health, it comes because of COVID-19. They are trying to stop the border jumpers but as you may know or being aware we haven’t received or report about border jumper passing over here. We have not either record a case of COVI-19 in our village, thanks to God.”
Hipolito Novelo
“However they say that people in Santa Cruz are still using their canoes to cross the border.”
On the Phone: Kimberly Medina
“No, that is fake news or I don’t know who reported that because if they are saying that I would to be shown evidence because they cannot be saying if they don’t have evidence because all the canes that they took yesterday were full with water. How in earth they will use the canoes with water? Those canoes were there from long time. But what comes with the frustration and anger of villages is that they were not taken account.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Do you know how long the police will be in possession of the canoes?”
On the Phone: Kimberly Medina
“Well the only thing is that we were informed is until the pandemic is finished. But that is what concern is the villagers because the canoes have properties. Every canoe has a property so someone did own the canoe and another one is that the canoe cannot be in the sun for so long because it will be cracked up. By end of this month the canoes will not work at all.”
