Foreign Minister Says Help is Available for Budna

Joseph Budna, serving time in a Guatemalan prison, has been using his phone privileges to speak publicly about his fight for freedom. He claims Belize’s embassy officials have failed to keep in touch and have done little to assist him. But Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca says that’s not the case; officials have visited Budna, provided support, and given him all the contact information he needs. Here’s what Fonseca told us.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

“I know that for a fact that the embassy officials gave Mr. Budna, they visited him and they gave him all of their information and they made it very clear to him that if he needed any support from them at any time he should reach out to them. It’s not for them to be visiting him weekly, but certainly if he has problems or challenges they check with the institution. They made sure he was getting his medical supplies. He needed medical supplies for a particular issue he’s dealing with. They have made sure he has access to that. They told him if he needed a lawyer, they would facilitate that. He said he had his own lawyer. So they are in touch with him. He has all of their contact information. If at any time he needs their help with anything, assistance, support, with anything, he can reach out to them and they will respond.”