Foreign Ministry investigating murder of Belizean in Melchor
Edwin Chan
Twenty-two year old Benque Viejo resident Edwin Chan was murdered in Melchor on Good Friday. Chan was found in a remote locate on the outskirts of Melchor with one gunshot wound to the head. Benque Police told News Five that it also appeared that he had been badly beaten to the head and face. Police have provided few additional details, since they are forced to rely on information they receive from their Guatemalan counterparts. There has been some public concern that authorities and officials have not given due attention and scrutiny to the death of a Belizean in Guatemala. News Five spoke to Protocol and Consular Affairs Ambassador Said Badi Guerra on Friday. He confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is conducting its own investigation into the murder.
Said Badi Guerra, Ambassador, Protocol and Consular Affairs, MFA
“He was killed on Good Friday and I was looking after the case. I went on Holy Saturday to Flores, Peten. It was a holiday and the family and the Police in Benque asked me to assist in the matter, which I did. I was able to get the body back to Belize with friendly connections. We have done, Belize has done…as a member of staff with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…we have already asked in a diplomatic note, we’ve asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala to please allow us to take a look at the cameras at the border in Melchor. So yes Belize has done its job. I agree with what you’ve said. When a Guatemalan is killed, murdered or whatever happens, they make a big issue about it. Belize has asked Guatemala to please allow us, and I am working on the case right now.”
Reporter
Said Badi Guerra
“Could you tell us if you are satisfied, from the standpoint of the authorities, with what is being done to investigate the murder of Edwin Chan?”
Said Badi Guerra
“We’re still in the process right now of investigating. Both the Guatemalan Police across the border in Melchor, the PNSE and the Benque Police are working hand in hand with us trying to investigate and to work out things. It’s a puzzle for us right now but we’re trying to work it out in the best way. As you may be well aware, we have as of January this year…for the first time we have been working hand in hand with Guatemala, and it has been very successful with this joint commission that we have formed. And so we have tried to build confidence measures, Guatemala – Belize, to work out situations like this.”
In other news from Guatemala, News Five has confirmed that Belizean fugitive Joseph Budna has been recaptured by Guatemalan Police. Budna is serving a twenty-five year sentence for kidnapping and extortion, and escaped over the Easter weekend. He was caught trying to cross the border into Honduras last Monday and taken back into custody.
