2024-06-11 - Channel 5 Belize

ComPol Meets with Hospital Staff in San Ignacio

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams met with the management and staff of San Ignacio Community Hospital this afternoon. The meeting follows an incident on June first during which several men, described as gang members, stormed the facility shortly after David Galindo was admitted to ward with life-threatening injuries. Galindo was no stranger to the law and had been targeted by gunmen on a previous occasion in 2021. On the night in question, the forty-year-old had been shot multiple times while purchasing food at a location in Santa Elena Town. When he was rushed to the hospital, Galindo’s relatives and friends showed up not long after and reportedly terrorized the staff working the shift that night. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of medical personnel working at the hospital. Prior to his meeting, Commissioner Williams spoke with reporters.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I was the one who suggested that we have a meeting and have arranged a meeting with the authorities from the San Ignacio Community Hospital. So I will be meeting with them this afternoon at two [o’clock] in San Ignacio and again, the purpose is to be able to look at what their concerns are and to see what protocols we can develop moving forward to ensure that there is no recurrence of what actually took place on June first. So I agree with everything said, in terms of the way how things unfolded, it ought not to have. The best that we can do now is to make sure that we put things in place to avert any future recurrence.”

Reporter

“And any update in finding the perpetrators? I know you said at least one had eluded the police up to yesterday and still now.”

Chester Williams

“One has been charged and we’re still searching for the other one. We are hoping that he will be coming out of where he is hiding very soon and we will be able to take him into custody and address that matter with him.”

In a statement provided to another news outlet this morning, Mynor Galindo, sibling of the deceased David Galindo, said, “no one has been arrested or charged for my brother’s death. Instead, police are relentlessly pursuing us rather than the actual culprits. Despite providing detailed descriptions of the attackers and their vehicle to the authorities, there has been no discernible progress in the investigation. The authorities have utterly neglected their duty to ensure our safety and have instead harassed our family, baselessly accusing us of involvement in criminal activities. We have received no support or justice from the authorities, and the media has perpetuated false narratives.”

Mynor Galindo Explains What Happened the Night His Brother was Shot

Late this afternoon, News Five spoke by phone with Mynor Galindo. He is the brother of David Galindo who was shot in Santa Elena on the night of June first and passed away over the weekend from injuries he received. According to the sibling, he was not at the San Ignacio Community Hospital the night when David was injured. However, what he explained was that other family members who were present were not allowed to travel with David inside the ambulance from San Ignacio to the Western Regional Hospital. Mynor admits that the refusal of the ambulance driver to allow a relative on the trip to Belmopan did create a bit of an issue, but not to the extent described by hospital staff elsewhere in the media.

On the phone: Mynor Galindo, Brother of Deceased

“When my brother David was shot, I was not at home, I just heard the news and I noh even went to the hospital itself. I was nowhere in the hospital and when dehn call me, my family members told me that di people dehn from the ambulance do not want to carry nobody in the ambulance and dehn seh once somebody go eena di ambulance he noh di drive off. He wahn stay right deh and he wah put di ambulance eena park and cut off di ignition. From deh, now you as wahn loved one di watch deh di deal with wahn loved one like that, how you wahn feel comfortable when dehn ambulance driver di tell you that nobody cyant go with di patient. And dat da right deh weh create wahn small lee back and front. But like weh dehn di seh bout di doctors and nurses being threatened and thing, that is a total lie… totally lie.”

Isani Cayetano

“Okay, explain to me what happened at the hospital because, as you mentioned, the doctor is alleging that you guys went into the hospital and pretty much terrorized them and they were in fear of their lives. What actually happened that night at San Ignacio Community Hospital?”

Mynor Galindo

“Well, like I say again, I was never there but the understanding weh I di get through di media houses and di commissioner and things weh di go through, I di get feedback mostly through them. But when, if dehn feel threatened and deh feel soh, dehn have surveillance, dehn got surveillance, and if dehn wahn go through deh kinda thing deh, and if dehn feel threatened why dehn neva press it from di night and press charges and go proceed to the station? Dehn da government workers, dehn got all rights and when it come to wahn doctor or nurses, we all respect them cause dehn deh ya fi save life, dehn noh di ya fi hurt no one.”

Cabinet Condemns Incident at San Ignacio Community Hospital

Earlier today, the Government of Belize issued a press release in which it stated, “the entire Cabinet shares the outrage of the Belizean people at the incident which occurred at the San Ignacio Community Hospital on June first. Cabinet is grateful that medical practitioners, staff and patients were not harmed by those criminal elements who stormed the facility. Decisive action has been taken. Instructions have been issued, firstly, for the escalation of the operation to round up not only those persons who participated in the attack on our medical facility and staff, but all gang elements operating in San Ignacio and Santa Elena.”

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It’s a regrettable issue. We wish it did not occurred, but again, the reason why the police did not respond when they were called was because it was a busy night in San Ignacio. The police had other complaints that they were dealing with and so they could not have responded on time as the hospital requested. And I do agree with the hospital and I agree with the police as well, I have to strike a balance, but we have to find a solution moving forward to make sure that should there be any recurrence that what took place, or the sequence of events that took place on that night in question does not reoccur.”

Reporter

“But ComPol, how many other incidents would there have been that night not to warrant police responding immediately when, in essence, that’s a hostage situation. If you have doctors under the threat of firearms to say, “Unu need fi save this person life or else unu wahn dead.”

Chester Williams

“The police were at a stabbing. They had a stabbing. They had, I think a burglary, and there was another issue at a village. The police only had one vehicle that night that they could have utilized and so that was an issue.”

Are Police Still Investigating Murder of David Galindo?

In the wake of the incident, it has been reported that the individuals who stormed the hospital on the night of June first were gang members. It’s a claim that Mynor Galindo vehemently denies. While he admits his relatives are no saints, he maintains that they are not members of a gang. Galindo also tells News Five that investigators have since shifted their focus from solving his brother’s murder to seeking them out for prosecution.

Isani Cayetano

“You guys, as you mentioned, were having an issue with transporting your brother to the Western Regional Hospital. Explain to me what happened at that point where you guys perhaps finally got the ambulance to leave with your brother.”

On the Phone: Mynor Galindo, Bother of Deceased

“When di ambulance left then everybody left, everybody gaan and like a seh dehn just mi di go through lee rage caz di ambulance, from the first beginning, the ambulance noh even mi di deh. Dehn wait til the ambulance come and when the ambulance come, the ambulance driver, ih look like he had a issue fi mek somebody go along with the patient and da noh even wah male person gaan with the patient, da wahn female and I noh know weh dehn di get da gang thing from. I noh know who di put dehn dat but I woulda wahn know weh gang we label unda, that I woulda wahn know, weh gang we label under. Weh type ah gang, if da Bloods, Crips, what dehn call gang.”

Isani Cayetano

“Okay, so it would seem or it has been described elsewhere in the media that you are in hiding and that the police department is actively looking for you in relation to this incident that happened.”

Mynor Galindo

“Like I said, I noh eena know hiding. I noh have wahn problem fi go to the station, walk een deh and whatever dehn got fi deal with mek dehn deal with. I just concerned cause me, I da di one weh di deal with di things dehn fi arrange di funeral and thing like that deh. And dehn know exactly, dehn know all ah dat, and fi mek dehn cohn and just lock me down fi wah forty-eight hours weh noh mek no sense fi no reason, just cause dehn feel like, then I cyant afford that right now. I noh have wahn problem. Me and di commissioner have words before. If he wahn sih me, I noh have wah problem.”

Isani Cayetano

“You mentioned in your statement earlier as well that you guys haven’t received any kind of update or there’s no progress being made in the investigation into your brother’s murder. Talk to us about that.”

Mynor Galindo

“When it comes to my bredda murder, dehn just cohn and dehn shift di whole situation right round and mek ih come back right to we. I noh di seh that we da innocent people, we da dis or seka we da di victim or… di fact is that dehn just noh care. Dehn just put my bredda death pan di side and di person weh suppose to do it deh out deh freely and we da di target now. Dehn noh do no type a investigation fi seh well ah got wahn clue, well em, ah think dehn cohn from deh. We noh get no type ah feedback. My bredda just gaan and gaan right so.”

Twelve Months in Prison for Abusive Stepfather, Devain Flores

One year in prison for physically abusing his three-year-old stepson, that’s the time Devain Flores will spend for concurrent sentences that were handed down by the lower courts this morning. The matter, as we’ve reported, was prosecuted by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams. From the onset, the ComPol pushed for a custodial sentence to be delivered, in light of the public outrage following a video of Flores kicking and punching the infant. Flores pleaded guilty to the charges that were brought against him; however, last week, when he appeared before a senior magistrate, Flores’ witnesses failed to show up in court to testify on his behalf. This morning, following sentencing, ComPol Williams told reporters that he was content with the time given to Flores.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I am satisfied, yes, that the court imposed the maximum sentence of twelve months. I wished they had run consecutively, but instead the magistrate chose to have them run concurrently. So, in other words, he will only serve twelve months as opposed to twenty-four months. But in terms of the magistrate imposing the maximum sentence on both counts of twelve months each, I think that the punishment does fit the crime. The child who has been abused and his parents can now feel at ease that the perpetrator will be behind bars, and so for that I am extremely happy.”

Reporter

“And the reason provided for it not to run concurrently.”

Chester Williams

“Well the magistrate did cite precedence and she is right in doing so and by law she does have that discretion. So as much as I am not too satisfied with that, she is acting within the scope of the law in so doing. The magistrate was extremely clear in her assessment of the matter, in terms of saying that we must send a strong message to persons who have care of children. As a society, we must protect our future. Our children are our future and if we don’t do what we can now to protect them, then who is going to do so. So I think the magistrate was very clear in that as well.”

Homeless Man Charged for Attempted Murder

A man who claims to be homeless is tonight on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being arraigned for attempted murder. According to police, on Saturday at around nine p.m., they visited the K.H.M.H. where they observed thirty-one-year-old Juan Pineda suffering from multiple stab wounds. An initial investigation revealed that Pineda was walking his dog in the Lords Ridge Cemetery when he was attacked by a man known to him as thirty-six-year-old Mark Stevens. Pineda said he made attempts to evade Stevens by running home, but Stevens ran towards him and stabbed him several times in his body with a shiny wooden-handle kitchen knife. According to Pineda, his landlord tried to stop Stevens from harming him. Stevens then ran into the Lord Ridge Cemetery and escaped into the night. Police detained Stevens the following day. He appeared before a magistrate today for the offenses of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. No plea was taken. Stevens told the court that he served time in United Kingdom after he went to live there at the age of eight. He says that he returned to Belize at the age of thirty and began living on the streets because he was being attacked by his family members. The magistrate questioned Stevens about an injury seen on his left index finger. Stevens claimed that he was taken to the hospital by the police, but they never gave him any medico legal form. The magistrate ordered that Stevens be taken to the K.H.M.H. to seek medical attention for his wound before he is taken up to the Belize Central Prison. He is to return to court on September ninth.

Attorney asked to Turn Over Confidential Documents at Belize Central Prison

While attempting to conduct a visitation to one of her clients at the Belize Central Prison, attorney Leslie Mendez was asked by security to hand over her documents for a search. Mendez explained that because her documents are subject to attorney-client privilege, she could not hand them over for inspection. Mendez claims that as her documents contained confidential information regarding a client who intended to challenge the decision of the parole board, she had a legitimate reason to deny security access to these papers. We spoke with Mendez earlier today, who explained how she handled the situation.

Leslie Mendez, Attorney at Law

“So on that day, this was in early May, I visited the prison to try to gain access to my clients to offer further legal advice, take instructions, etc. On that day, it was there was a different, slightly different process where usually when I arrive, I’m taken to the security booth immediately so that I’m searched. But this time I was directed to a counter where they asked to inspect my documents. When they asked to inspect my documents, I immediately indicated that I wouldn’t be able to allow them to inspect those documents because they are subject to attorney client privilege. And I cannot allow them to see that. It is my duty to protect attorney client privilege. So I can’t simply just give them access to my documents. Nonetheless, I inquired what the concern is about. So what is it exactly that they’re looking for? And perhaps you could find a different way to address the concern. And they indicated that they were Concerned about, smuggling monies or anything else through the file and the documents. And so what I offered to do is that I told them, and again trying to just collaborate, I appreciate that the prison does have legitimate concerns and they need to manage and they need to regulate access and their processes. So I, offered that I could turn over the sheets so that they don’t have sight of the actual text and we can sift through each sheet so that I could satisfy them that I’m not smuggling anything and that there’s nothing objectionable in my file. We did that but the guards were still very much dissatisfied and quite peeved.”

What About a Warning for Prison Dress Code Violation?

An attorney-at-law was denied visitation rights to her client at the Belize Central Prison after she was told that her skirt was too short. The incident occurred in early May after Leslie Mendez attempted to conduct a visit with one of her clients, but upon arrival was met with pushback at multiple avenues. Mendez says that, in her opinion, her outfit was appropriately modest but conceded that if the prison truly had taken issue with her attire, a warning would have sufficed for the incident. Instead, Mendez was forced to go home and change, which she believes is in violation of the constitutional rights of her clients, who should be allowed to meet with their attorneys. We sat down with Mendez earlier today who told us that the problem at hand is not whether the attire was appropriate, but rather, how the prison ensures that the constitutional rights of the inmates are upheld.

Leslie Mendez, Attorney at Law

“What I wore that day, in my estimation, it was appropriate. In my estimation, I was very much covered up. So I didn’t think that it would be an issue. I attempted to reach out to mister Murillo because, again, the guards told me Murillo and he confirmed that I can’t have access. The point that I was trying to make after that was that I think that in this occasion, in my view, even though I did not concede that I was inappropriately dressed, not so much that it would have justified denying me access to my clients, which again, is a constitutionally protected right. I think these things should matter. They should have meaning on the ground. We should act in a way that reflects the importance of constitutional rights. And while I appreciate that there are rules, I think that they ought to be applied reasonably and, on that occasion, I thought that a warning would have sufficed. I would have taken no issue with a warning. And if there was, in fact, a real concern about my safety or an issue of security because it’s a male population and it’s a particular environment, prison is not flowers and rainbows that on this occasion, if there was that concern, for me, because I’m dressed this way and I’m an attorney who should be given access to her client because we value that and we value ensuring that the rights of inmates are protected, a guard could have been assigned to me to ensure that from the security booth to the meeting room, I’m safe.”

No Explanation Given for 6 Prisoners Denied Parole

After six of her clients have been denied parole, Leslie Mendez is challenging the parole board. According to Mendez, she has witnessed a systematic denial of reasons given to applicants as to why their parole has been denied which raised concerns as to whether the relevant considerations are being deliberated in the decision-making process. She says that if an inmate has undertaken sufficient rehabilitation efforts and there is no longer a reason to believe that they pose a threat to the public, then they should be granted parole. Mendez maintains that these legal considerations are being overlooked.

Leslie Mendez, Attorney at Law

“Parole doesn’t mean you’re free now without any conditions. There are parole conditions. And so now you are you have some freedom, but it’s a freedom that is very much conditioned. And you are under supervision and monitored to ensure that you have a gradual, safe, free integration into society. Because ultimately, we want society to be safe, while also ensuring that we bear in mind the and the interest in rehabilitating inmates and we can’t just throw people in prison and forget them forever. That’s just not the system that we have. And the concern right now is that it doesn’t seem that is being systematically applied at the parole and we are not even able to know how decisions are being made if you’re not giving reason. I will tell you if it is that I get a file or I get an inmate whose parole was denied and there’s an obvious very recent infraction that was violent. Okay, you know why it was denied, right? And again, that infraction is a violent infraction. I don’t, it’s obviously beyond reasonable for the parole board to deny that inmate parole. So these are applications where they are not very recent infraction, at least to the knowledge, my knowledge or to the knowledge of the inmate that there are any infractions or there are anything to indicate that it’s an ongoing risk. So that’s why this is the cause for concern. Not that all inmates, once they’re parole, once they’re eligible for parole, are absolutely entitled for parole. No. But these applications are unique in the sense that from our vantage point, we’re not able to discern what is the cause for concern and because we don’t have access to that process or access to the reason, we’re not able to know what was the cause for concern on the parole boards.”

Encounters With La Llorona “The Weeping Woman”

The legend of La Llorona which translates to “weeping woman” in English, is a folklore shared among Latin American countries. Though views on the origin of the story vary, most people believe that she drowned her children after discovering that her husband was unfaithful. As the story goes, her spirit now travels the earth wailing at the loss of her children in regret. In tonight’s episode of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Paul Lopez hears from some Belizeans who claim to have had encounters with La Llorona, as well as one folklore author who weighed in. Here is that report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This tree in the heart of Xaibe Village is believed to be two centuries old. It is also the site of many reported La Llorona sightings.

Jenara Cano, Xaibe Village Resident

“La Llorona is, according to my grandparents, it is a spirit that does not walk on the ground.”

Sixty-five-year-old Jenara Cano grew up hearing stories of La Llorona from her grandparents and parents. She describes La Llorona as the spirit of a woman dressed in white garments, floating about a foot above ground.

Jenera Cano

“My parents told me that it is a woman who killed her children. But right before someone dies it is guaranteed that she will come around. Fifteen days ago, La Llorona was seen crying from one crossroad to the next crossroad. Right before someone dies La Llorona comes and it gives you chills and makes you afraid. Last month a lady in front of us died and I heard La Llorona, about two o’clock in the morning.”

And when we played this sound for her from a video of a reported sighting,.

Jenera Cano

“That is the sound, that is how it sounds.”

She told us without uncertainty that this is the same sound heard in her community.

Paul Lopez

“What do you think would happen if someone comes face to face with La Llorona?”

Jenera Cano

“Hmp, you will die.”

One hundred and fifty miles away, in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Benigno Coch says he has seen La Llorona’s face.

Beningno Coch, Benque Viejo Town Resident

“When I was taking a lady at two in the morning in BECOL basketball court and I was coming by Mr. Cocom and there was a three on the side of the street and something went to me like my body and I said this is not good and I turned around and there was a white lady coming towards the street. I started running and I run and I turned around and she was coming the back of me. So I went straight to the street where the lights are and she was still coming back. So I run hard we reached up to church street and I went beside a house and go around and I stayed there. Then I went back to my house I looked up the post the lady was coming down. I had a deodorant and coffee in a plastic bag which I bought, But I was taking some drinks with the lady. I said this is not good. I threw the things towards her and it fell on the ground and I went running to the back of the house and I went inside. I saw her face. She was having something in front, and it doesn’t have eyes. That was that was the first time I saw her.”

According to Adella Vallejo, a cultural activist in Northern Belize, stories of La Llorona originated from the Yucatec Maya culture. She explained that there are different versions of the story across the world, but they all point back to a woman grieving the loss of a loved one.

Adella Vallejo, Maya Culture Activist

“I have not had an encounter with La Llorona in Belize, but I told you that I believe there are Llorona type entities in every culture. And, that is why every culture will have their own stories. And I can tell you where I resided, which was the U.S.A my entire family got to hear La Llorona for three consecutive nights and when we heard it the first time it was very alarming, the second time it was very distressing and the third time it was like we got to do something about this. And the third time we said some prayers and eventually she went away. But she actually brought terror to our entire neighborhood and it was not just my household. The people that resided upstairs and my daughter that resided like three hundred feet away was like, did you hear that last night, that was very terrifying.”

David Ruiz, a cultural activist from Benque Viejo Del Carmen, writes folklores. He has never had any such encounters, but says he respects the stories and narratives as well as their importance to culture.

David Ruiz, Cultural Activist

“Even La Llorona is not seen as such. She is heard. She is heard as a lady, the cry of a woman. And what I have heard people saying is that it is not an ordinary cry. Some people say oh it is cats, because cats when they are mating they sound much like human wails. But people have assured me that it is not the regular cries or screams of cats. It is different. I myself have never heard. I respect the stories and the narratives and I really would not like to have the experience. But I cannot say I don’t believe in it because I haven’t had the experience, but I do respect it.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.