Tonight, twenty-five-year-old Edward Saldano, also known as “Scrubby,” remains in police custody at the Queen Street Police Station. He was detained after reports of gunshots on George Street around 8 p.m. on February twenty-third, 2025. Video footage showed a man, identified by police as Saldano, riding a motorcycle and firing shots into the air. After initially evading capture, he was caught on March fourth at the Michael Finnegan Market with a gun in his possession. Saldano, who claims he was shot in the foot by police, was handcuffed to a wheelchair and taken to court where he was charged with one count of discharging a firearm in public and two counts of gun-related offenses for the firearm and ammunition. Represented by attorney Leroy Banner, who couldn’t appear in court today, Saldano argued he was only served two charges. However, it was confirmed that he had been served all three charges before coming to court. Following his arraignment, Saldano was taken to the hospital for treatment of his gunshot injuries after complaining of pain.
Year: 2025
Ramlogan Withdraws Appeal; Ordered to Pay Half of Wasted Costs
Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan has informed attorney Eamon Courtenay that his client, Jeremy Enriquez, has decided to withdraw the request for a fast-tracked hearing filed on February eleventh. Courtenay represents the Attorney General in a case brought by Enriquez and two others about the overdue redistricting exercise. Although the High Court dismissed the claim, Ramlogan appealed to the Court of Appeal, which hasn’t heard the case yet. To speed things up, Ramlogan asked the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for special permission to review Justice Hondora’s decision. Earlier this week, the CCJ dismissed the request, saying it had no merit. In a related update, earlier today, Justice Tawanda Hondora finalized his decision on the claim filed by Jeremy Enriquez, who tried to halt the general election. The ruling was prefaced by the High Court’s position on wasted costs. These are expenses caused by a lawyer’s improper, unreasonable, or careless actions. The court can order the lawyer responsible to pay these costs. It’s basically a way to make sure lawyers are held accountable for actions that drive up litigation costs unnecessarily. Elsewhere in his decision, Justice Hondora wrote, “it is Mister Ramlogan’s omissions and negligence that resulted in the unnecessary and unsuccessful interim applications filed, which were based on fatally defective affidavits, and which caused the defendants to incur unnecessary litigation costs. Had the three applications been dismissed solely on the merits, it is highly unlikely that any adverse costs order would have been made considering the general rules on costs in constitutional matters”. In this case, the Attorney General was represented by the law firm Courtenay Coye LLP, and it wasn’t done for free. So, Ramlogan has been ordered to pay half of the wasted costs.
BPM Provides Update on Unconstitutional Voters List
In other news, the Belize Peace Movement (BPM) has updated us on a claim before the High Court. This issue also involves redistricting, but the BPM is arguing that the voters’ list is unconstitutional because it’s so unevenly distributed, making it unfit for elections. The BPM’s release further states, “we remain perplexed by the government’s refusal to correct the blatant malapportionment in the voters’ list. The Election and Boundaries Commission and the Attorney General continue to resist necessary reforms, despite the administration’s 2020 campaign promise to address this issue before the next election. This promise has proven false. Worse, although our case was before the court in November 2024 and general elections were not due until November 2025, the Prime Minister disregarded judicial proceedings and called elections early. While he has the constitutional right to do so, this action undermines the principle of separation of powers and prioritizes political interests over equal treatment of Belizean voters”.
Belize Rural North Candidates Holds Public Debate
It’s not often that political candidates across the country engage in debates, but the candidates in Belize Rural South have set a new standard this election season. On Wednesday night, the four candidates participated in a public debate in San Pedro. They discussed key issues like conservation, development, land ownership, and energy. The event was streamed live by Reef TV. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Political campaigns are in full swing, with only six days left before the March twelfth general election. In Belize Rural South, the four election candidates took a break from the campaign trail to participate in a debate.
Mahmoud “Dani” Lagha, U.D.P. Candidate, Belize Rural South
“My name is Mahmoud Lagha. I have known as Dani. I am running for Belize Rural South under U.D.P. democratic party under Mr. Shyne Barrow.”
Abner Bacab, B.J.M. Candidate, Belize Rural South
“Belizean Justice Movement as the name is. We want to promote social justice for each and every Belizean, including here in San Pedro, everyone.”
Manuel Heredia, U.D.P. Candidate, Belize Rural South
“I have won four general elections and two municipal elections. Having served Belize Rural south for seventeen and a half years with humility, dignity and respect.”
Andre Perez, P.U.P. Candidate, Belize Rural South
“Of course tonight we are here to discuss many issues, the way forward and I remain open, looking at the past four years and our accomplishments, but also the way forward.”
Moderator Tamara Sniffin asked the candidates how they plan to balance conservation and development. Belize Rural South is a top tourist destination with great opportunities for private investments. But how do they plan to protect the natural resources that make the area so attractive to tourists?
Abner Bacab
“For sustainable development, I think a very important part is the consultation process with the people it is affecting, like our island. Most of the time, it is already done, the laws are passed, without any type of consultation.”
Manuel Heredia
“The cutting of mangroves, that is crucial, something very crucial. Today there is no regard to the cutting of mangroves, to the dredging where silt will end up at the reef. What will be the future of our children?”
Andre Perez
“Let us look at the mangroves, when we talk about dredging and cutting of the mangroves, that is a development we have inherited for many years all our watersides were being sold off. We have been struggling because these mangroves are now private lands.”
U.D.P. Candidate, Mahmoud “Dani” Lagha, did not remain on the stage long enough to respond to question.
Tamara Sniffin, Moderator
“Did we lose a candidate. I guess we will keep on moving on.”
Lagha informed the moderator that he was experiencing a bout of fatigue as he is observing Ramadan. During the open forum segment of the debate, the candidates continued to discuss environmental conservation and development, highlighting that this is a pressing issue for the residents of the constituency.
Manuel Heredia
“It is a serious issue, taxi drivers are asking, developers are asking, how do people get these permits so easy. Do you have anything to do with those permits or any recommendations given by yourself or anybody else for these projects to go ahead?”
Andre Perez
“If I was your duly elected area representative in 2008, believe you me, all those mangrove waters given all up north, piece by piece, even the water, would have never pass through my office. It was given under his ministry, his watch or maybe he did not really see, or was not aware of what was being done in Belmopan. This is what we inherited.”
Property ownership was also a heated issue raised in the hour and a half long debate. B.J.M. candidate Abner Bacab accused Perez of unfairly distributing lots on Ambergris Caye.
Abner Bacab
“The only people that benefit are the parties, their families and their cronies, very close allies to people.”
Andre Perez
“I have to respectfully ask him if he has any proof on that because he is making some serious accusations, allegations here that is unfounded. So, I don’t want to answer that, because what he is saying, he needs to show proof. He said about mass robbing; anybody can stand right now to say mass robbing is not happening in San Pedro or Caye Caulker. That is totally false, and I do not appreciate it.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
Zipping Through Belize’s Rainforest with Dark Night Adventures
Belize is famous for its stunning and diverse jungles. Every year, thousands of tourists explore these lush landscapes to experience their beauty. But jungle adventures aren’t just for visitors. In tonight’s edition of Belize on Reel, we head west to Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures to discover how ziplining offers Belizeans a unique way to see their country’s hidden gems. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.
Over half of Belize is blanketed by dense rainforest, making it one of the most forested countries in Central America. These jungles teem with wildlife like jaguars, toucans, and monkeys. But how can you see these wonders up close? Bradley Paumen, owner of Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures, says ziplining is one of the easiest ways to experience Belize’s natural beauty.
Bradley Paumen, Owner, Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures
“Some of our favorite guests are local guests. We do a lot of tours for, we got some, private groups that come in and we work with some other tour operators that bring their guests here. And resorts, and then we, we do a lot with teachers. We’ve got teachers groups that come in. And a lot of the companies up in Spanish Lookout, they, they really enjoy bringing a family day. So we have big groups with the locals and stuff. So we do probably ten, twelve percent is locals and resorts. And then the balances with the cruise lines.”
Ziplining is an exciting adventure activity where you’re strapped into a harness and slide down a thick steel cable between two points. Dark Night offers various packages for exploring the area’s caves and jungles. These include walking on suspension bridges over the rainforest canopy, tubing through ancient caves, and of course, ziplining through the lush trees. Site Manager Benjamin Mas explains how the team gets visitors ready for a day of zipping through the trees.
Benjamin Mas, Site Manager, Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures
“Everybody has fun and you don’t have to have experience to be able to do our tours. So we do everything for you, and we explain in detail. We give safety talks, safety speeches, orientations to our guests. And we also remind them that prior to getting into, onto the lines. We also remind them that if they don’t remember, we continue reminding them throughout the tour. So it becomes, at the end, a fun tour. And you don’t need any experience, so we do the work for you.”
The tour starts with a short walk over a suspension bridge, hundreds of feet above the forest canopy. This brings us to the first zipline platform, the Chicken Run line. Here, guests get suited up and get a taste of what it’s like to zip through the air. Assistant Supervisor, Liticia Cartagena, enjoys the thrill that comes with the job.
Liticia Cartagena, Assistant Supervisor, Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures
“For me, it’s exciting and funny, very funny and I feel like the breeze on me and that’s everything.”
Britney Gordon
“And how does your heart feel when you’re doing it?”
“It’s beating very fast.”
Over the canopy, fortunate zipliners may encounter animals such as howler monkeys. Mas tells us that typically, the animals are shy but on quiet days, they may make an appearance.
“Today we might be more lucky than during a normal operation because it’s very quiet. But we have monkeys, spider monkeys. We have toucans. We have coatimundis, such animals. We have many more, but I wouldn’t be able to give you a big promise because you have to have a sharp eye.”
Zipliners also dive into darkness as they enter the ancient caves. With headlights on, they’ll see natural mineral formations, with stalagmites rising from the floor and stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Some caves even feature intricate Mayan carvings on the walls.
“It starts out in a Rock Shelter Cave, and then it goes into and through Tiger Cave. It’s a beautiful cave. And then you finish with have an exit out of Tiger Cave on a suspension bridge, and then you got a couple more lines over the river. So seven lines in all, and when you get off the cave tube, or zip line, you actually just enter right into Cape Tubing, your tubes are waiting for you and you float through Dark Night Cave and you finish with a, a nice float that cools you off.”
Liticia Cartagena
“I used to work here like five years ago. So I used to begin with a dresser. And I get my training and I went to zipline. The most exciting thing for me is to meet new people. And share the knowledge of the zipline.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Meet the Candidates in Cayo West
Cayo West has seven thousand, six hundred and seventy-four voters, making it the second smallest of the six constituencies in the Cayo district. However, compared to other areas like Belize City, it’s quite large. Both major political parties are represented here, with P.U.P. incumbent Jorge “Milin” Espat and U.D.P. candidate Miguel “Mike” Guerra running. There’s also an independent candidate, Esduit Moralez, in the race. News Five’s Paul Lopez gives us the scoop in this episode of Meet the Candidates.
Jorge “Millin” Espat rose to power in Cayo West in 2020 after defeating five-time UDP Area Representative Erwin Contreras by just over two hundred votes. Espat is back, asking voters in his area to support him again so he can win a second term.
Jorge “Milin” Espat, P.U.P. Candidate, Cayo West
“It is a constituency that needed all the support and needs all the support it can get. Cayo West was abandoned for more than twenty plus years, but now under this People’s Untied Party, under the great leadership of Prime Minister John Briceno I can gladly say that Cayo West is moving ahead. Cayo West is shining once more and Cayo West will deliver once more.”
Espat’s main challenge in his bid for a second term is UDP candidate Miguel “Mike” Guerra. He had a sizeable showing of support on nomination day in Benque.
Miguel “Mike” Guerra, U.D.P. Candidate, Cayo West
“This is the support. I feel good with the support of west constituency, even though I don’t have the resources to employ campaigners. I think what you see here is campaigners that are voluntary. I want to thank God for that. I think it is not about resources. It is not about flags. Cayo West is filled with blue flags. It is about personality. The problem here in Cayo West is not the P.U.P., it is the area representative.”
So, what are the commitments being made by these two candidates for the residents of Cayo West? Guerra says, he is not one to make promises to constituents.
“Nothing, I am not a person who will come out and promise anything. Maybe I am not a politician. I am not a politician. I am a hard-working man and a resident of Benque Viejo. If God gives me the opportunity then I can see how we will work. The amount of resources that the area representative gets I think he can manage to work in all of his division, including the villages. But, that can only happen if you are a hard working man. If you are not a hard working man, even if you have the resources, you don’t know what to do with your resources. What is being done right now in Cayo West, employing the money in flags. You don’t see a flag from the United Democratic Party on the post, not at this moment. I don’t believe in flags. The flags will not come out on the first of March.”
“The priority for me is my constituents, giving them an opportunity to continue to uplift the constituency for better opportunities, such as employment. The health issue is a very important factor for my constituency. We have a building that was left under the last administration that it was so called a clinic. We are going to uplift that giving the residents under the NHI the benefits for all Belizean. Also my next accomplishment that I really want to do is brining the bus terminal with the marker and all the taxi parking space for that constituency. And that is just the beginning.”
Although there’s a third candidate in the race, independents haven’t had the same success as the major party candidates. In 2020, a third-party candidate only got sixty-eight votes, which is nowhere near Espat’s two thousand, seven hundred and three votes.
“Four years is a little bit of time to accomplish many things we need. But I can say as a representative of the constituency of Cayo West, I have done many things that were not done in more than twenty years.”
“I have managed to unite the people, unite all that was divided, and I got them on track already. We are going to deliver the twelfth of March.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
Meet the Candidates in Cayo Northeast
Now, let’s head over to Cayo Northeast, where there are only two candidates on the ballot: P.U.P. incumbent Orlando “Landy” Habet and U.D.P. candidate Alberto Fernandez. Habet is aiming for a third term, while Fernandez hopes to follow in the successful footsteps of his parents. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the details in this episode of Meet the Candidates.
Corozal Northeast is the smallest constituency in the Cayo district, with six thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight registered voters. In 2020, P.U.P. incumbent Orlando “Landy” Habet won against John August Junior and Nefretery Nancy Marin, securing his second term. Now, Habet is aiming for a third term.
Orlando “Landy” Habet, P.U.P. Candidate, Cayo Northeast
“It was a great honor. I have to be thankful and grateful to the executive committee, my wife and family who were there for me, but certainly my office staff and the constituency voters from Cayo Northeast, from polling area seventy-two to Santa Familia, Billy White, the three Duck Runs, Spanish Lookout and Los Tambos. I think that going forward I can only look forward for their support because they know I have been there for them. They put me there to do a job and I am grateful for that opportunity.”
Habet’s only challenger in Cayo Northeast is UDP candidate Alberto Fernandez. He’s the son of Bernadette Fernandez, a seven-term UDP councilor, and Salvador Fernandez, who won four terms in Cayo North under the UDP.
Alberto Fernandez, U.D.P. Candidate, Cayo Northeast
“Service, service, service. I cam from a family that has delivered service all their lives. First with my uncle Jospeh Andrews and then my father Salvador Fernandez who is a four-term minister and my mother who is a seven-term councilor in Santa Elena and San Ignacio. So, just service, service people you know.”
But can his strong political lineage carry him across the finish line to victory on March twelfth? Fernandez has been on the ground campaigning in the constituency, hoping to swing voters in his favor.
“Cayo Northeast, all I have been hearing is attention. The current area rep has given Cayo Northeast no attention. Ten years in government and still no attention, development in the area, cost of living and the list goes on and on, just attention Cayo Northeast deserves.”
Well, Habet contends that he has been giving his constituents the attention they deserve.
“I think the improvement in the livelihood of the people, certainly farm roads, village streets, now we are getting the road paved in the next month or so. But water system, basic necessities in Santa Familia, Billy White, Los Tambos, a potable water system they didn’t have for many years. We now have refurbished schools, a preschool in Billy White we didn’t have before. We have hurricane shelters in Santa Familia, Billy White, Duck Run Three, Los Tambos and one is already being completed in Duck Run one a new Poly Clinic for the entire area which will be able to host the medical facilities for NHI.”
Orlando “Landy” Habet
“I think we still have to do more in those areas. There are many streets that needs to be repaired, schools that needs to be refurbished. We are completing the one in Ezperanza that were badly needed, sporting facility we did some improvements, lighting and bleachers, but we can do more because we need to address the needs, not only of the wider population but so very important that the young people, because they are the new entrepreneurs with all the skills and technology, artificial intelligence, coding everything else. And they can form and create their own jobs.”
Alberto Fernandez
“Infrastructure in Cayo Northeast. The last attention when it comes to infrastructure is under a U.D.P. administration. The Falcon Field, the Welcome Center, the Farmers Market. All of that was under a U.D.P. administration. With this current government, Cayo North East has gotten no type of infrastructure.”
“What is the energy like right now with you and your Cayo North East team and how confident are you going into March twelfth?”
Alberto Fernandez
“Motivated, motivated, ecstatic. With my father and my mother on my side, motivated me more and more to just go out everyday and meet with my people.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
Channel 5 Launches Its First Spanish Newscast
Tonight, we have some exciting news to share with our viewers. Over the past few months, we’ve been preparing to launch something special for our Spanish-speaking audience to look forward to every Friday night. We’re excited to announce that tomorrow we will be launching our very first Noticiero Cinco Semanal newscast, where we will be bringing you the top stories of the week in Spanish. This segment will be aired every Friday at seven p.m., after our regular newscast and will be anchored by Franzella Hermoso. Viewers can look forward to in-depth news reports, from politics to stories that highlight Belizean culture and everyday life. Producing the newscast is Digital Editor Hipolito Novelo.
Hipolito Novelo, Producer, Noticiero 5 Semanal
“We are launching our Noticiero 5 Semanal this Friday at 7 p.m. It will be the first televised Spanish full-length broadcast, and we think, and so many of our supporters believe, that this is something that we needed, something that a lot of people wanted, and something that Channel 5 will be providing. According to the 2022 census by the SIB, 75% of the population speaks English, 54% speak Spanish, so that means that some people might feel more comfortable consuming news in Spanish, especially in areas where it is the dominant language. Now, Noticiero 5 Semanal helps bridge that gap and makes sure no one is left out of important and, of course, national conversation. If you have any news that you want to share and any ideas that you want to share with us here in Noticiero 5 Semanal, the tip line is 672-5555. We’re excited about this new product, again Noticiero 5 Semanal; it airs every Friday at 7:00 p.m. Tune in to our Channel 5 on YouTube, on Facebook, and, of course, on TV, and you have to keep it to the young people them, on TikTok, so make sure to follow us on TikTok at Noticiero 5 Semanal.”
Police Open New Substation in Trial Farm Village
Today, a brand-new police substation opened its doors in Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk. This substation will not only serve the bustling Orange Walk Town and the residents of Trial Farm but also act as a crime deterrent for tourists. After a significant investment of three hundred thousand dollars and several months of construction, the station is now ready for action. Initially, it will be staffed by eight officers, with plans to increase the number of officers later this year. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene for the grand opening and filed this report.
This morning, a new police substation opened in Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk. The Belize Tourism Board funded its construction, aiming to reduce crime overall, including incidents involving tourists. Prime Minister John Briceno highlighted that tourists from Mexico play a crucial role in Belize’s development.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The tourist Mexican market is one there that is right for the taking. They’re right next door. Many of them could drive over to come to Belize. There’s approximately over a hundred and thirty million Mexicans, I’m sure over thirty million of them can afford to be able to take a vacation to a destination like Belize. So we need to put more effort for the Mexicans to know about Belize and for them to understand how easy it is to come to Belize. And for instance, one issue is that they don’t know – they think that in Belize we only speak in English, pero hablamos bastante en español.”
The Minister of Tourism highlighted that due to the area’s rapid growth, having a police substation in Trial Farm is a smart move for several reasons.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
“It’s the fastest growing community in the area. You have a lot of people who work in this area and workers in the tourism industry would come from areas like this. And it is a corridor going into Sarteneja and all those areas to go to Lamanai. So it is important. They said that this is a strategic location. The police department picked this location. Destinations have been destroyed due to crime, like Acapulco, just one coming to mind right now, but a lot of destinations have struggled because they haven’t been able to grapple. In fact, Belize, at times, has struggled, and whenever we have flare-ups in murders and stuff like that, then you go on advisories, some of them unwarranted, most of them unwarranted. But it is important that we continue to collaborate with the police department to ensure that our guests and our Belizeans are safe.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that the new substation will enhance the efforts of the existing Orange Walk police station.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“You would know that the Orange Walk Town area has expanded exponentially and so just to have one central station in Orange Walk Town, which even though it is Trial Farm and not Orange Walk Town, it is connected to the town, so it looks like one. And in the past, the one station was servicing the entire area, so to have this substation in this area is going to help to take some of the burden from the central station.”
Williams mentioned that the station will be fully staffed in the coming months.
“If you notice the station here is still not yet furnished. It still requires some amenities, and so we will be working on those amenities to make sure that we bring it to a certain standard that the police officers will be able to have the equipment that they need to function where they should. We will start off with about a compliment of eight, for now, and then, when recruit pass out, the number will go to around thirty, so it will have a good compliment of officers.”
Marion Ali for News Five.
Tombs of Man Murdered by Mexican Cartel Desecrated
Authorities are investigating a disturbing case of grave desecration after the body of Michael Whittaker, 27, was exhumed and beheaded. Police Commissioner Chester Williams confirmed this information. He said, “Police visited the grave site this morning, and they saw the grave was disturbed. The bodies were exhumed, and a check of the body revealed that the skull is missing.”
The grave of Aron Tunn, 18, was also targeted, but the body inside was not removed. Instead, an attempt was made to burn the tomb by drilling a hole into it and lighting a fire. “I was told he was not dug up, but they had bored some hole in the tomb and had tried to light it on fire.”
Commissioner Williams suggested that the acts may have been intended to send a message. “I don’t know how dead they want these men to be, but it’s something we are looking at,” he stated.
Whittaker and Tun were among five bodies discovered near the Rio Hondo River in Sacxan, Quintana Roo, Mexico, this past weekend. Williams said the murders were drug-related, noting that the victims exhibited signs of torture and gunshot wounds to the head. Two of the bodies were found with cardboard signs, one of which warned against extortion and theft from criminal operations.
Police believe that the victims had been working for Mexican cartels, collecting fees but failing to report the full amounts to their superiors.