Officer gives timeline leading up to death of farmer…

The strike in the north continues and there’s an impasse between the farmers and the Belize Sugar Industries. In our newscast tonight, we will have various reports on the unfolding events in the past twenty-four hours, but we go first to a press conference held by the prime minister in which he was flanked by the police top brass. The death of Anstacio Felix Gutierrez was dealt with in great detail by the police, but the PM acknowledged that aside from Gutierrez’ demise, twelve persons were injured; five who received gunshot wounds and others were injured otherwise. While the PM said he had not decided on a commission of inquiry, he did say that an internal investigation is now ongoing by the police to verify whether in fact the use of live ammunition was justifiable. Officer in Charge of the Orange Walk District, Joseph Myvette, gave a timeline of the events that led to the fatality.

Joseph Myvette, O.C., Orange Walk Police
“We have had to maintain a presence at BSI for some days now; today is to be no exception. Yesterday we counted our numbers to twenty-three officers at different locations at BSI. At around three-thirty yesterday afternoon, we observed a group of people moving one of the barricades that was placed by BSI fort he protection of its property. As a result, some officers, a group of six officers was deployed to that area to secure that area. One of the barricades was already removed and a green pickup sped through, almost knocking down the officers, they had to run out the way in order to save their own lives. The vehicle then headed straight to the core sampler machine where another group of officers had had to detain these people in order to prevent damage. At three-fifty-five yesterday afternoon a checkpoint that was at the BSI junction with the Northern Highway was also rammed by a white cane truck in the process damaging the police vehicle by pushing it out of the way, heading straight for the BSI compound. In the process, two officers were hurt and they made an effort to retreat to where we were close to the BSI gate and were able to reach there after receiving several injuries. They immediately started stoning stones, bottles and a couple armed with machetes. As a result of this, a couple of rubber bullets was fired into the crowd in order for them to desist from stoning the police. However, they continued advancing towards us, which led us that point where we had to use several tear gas in order to try and push back the crowd. We stayed there and held them off for a while with tear gas and several rounds were fired. After a while they started retreating but at no time did we observe anyone being picked up and placed in any vehicle. The only vehicle at that point was the cane truck that had come to where we were.”

Jules Vasquez, Channel Seven
“Was there any specific instruction given to the police to shoot the civilians with real bullets?”

Joseph Myvette
“First of all, no instruction was given to the police to shoot the civilians.”

It is not known who pulled the trigger, nor is it known who ordered the deadly use of force.