Belize Officials Speak with Joseph Budna

It has been more than a week since the abduction of Joseph Budna, who ended up in the custody of Guatemalan police on August 23.

His abduction remains under investigation, says Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca.

“Foreign Affairs is providing whatever information is required of us for that investigation,” Fonseca said. He added that while Budna has claimed police involvement, he has not seen “any evidence” to support that.

Fonseca said that an independent inquiry could be considered only after Belizean authorities have “established certain things.”

Fonseca said, “We may reach a point where, based on the course of the investigation, a determination is made that this has to be done outside of the police department, but we are not there yet. We have to allow the investigation to follow its course, and once we’ve established certain things, then I think we can determine whether or not we will need an independent special investigation.”

On the night of his disappearance, Budna was livestreaming in front of the Sandy Hunter Library in Orange Walk. In audio shared from Melchor, he said he first tried to run toward the Banquitas House of Culture, then to the Orange Walk Police Station, before being caught.

Three surveillance cameras were observed in the area, including one above the National Bank ATM, one at the library’s entrance, and another facing Banquitas.

In an interview on August 28, Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado rejected Budna’s claim on police involvement, stating, “Let me be unequivocally clear, the police department was not involved.”

News 5 continues its stance to demand the Belize Police Department release surveillance footage from the Orange Walk area where Joseph Budna was abducted.