Faber Weighs in on Coke Stash Found on Andre Perez’s Boat

On Saturday morning, the news of a suspected cocaine stash found on a boat owned by Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez spread like wildfire. The Belize Police Department swiftly issued a statement detailing the circumstances of the discovery. Prime Minister John Briceño also addressed the situation, clarifying that although the drugs were found on Perez’s boat, the Minister of Blue Economy was not implicated in their concealment. Despite these assurances, public outcry is mounting, with many criticizing that Perez was let off the hook without a comprehensive criminal investigation.

 

Isani Cayetano

“What do you make of the news that came out over the weekend where a quantity of suspected cocaine was found inside a vessel belonging to the Belize Rural South Area Rep, the fact that both the police department and essentially the prime minister wrote it off as narcotics that did not necessarily belong to him, without, perhaps, delving into some form of an investigation to prove that so.”

 

Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet

“That is a very, very suspicious set of circumstances indeed and to just jump to that conclusion, I think, is dangerous for democracy.  I think, as well, as public figures, and we’ve seen this time and time again, they expect us to be held to the greatest scrutiny and if I was in that situation and I knew that I was not a guilty person, I would encourage the authorities to do the necessary investigation because it is what will vindicate you ultimately.  You don’t want it ever to seem that you are being given, under those circumstances, any kind of special consideration.  And when the authorities, you are right, because as soon as that happened, I heard the Commissioner of Police saying, “Listen, this is his boat but this doesn’t necessarily connect to him.  In fact, I don’t even think it was like that.  It was more said in a definitive manner that this was not connected to the minister and I don’t know how in such an early part of the game they could have determined that.”