Bestie’s Fight for Belonging Captivates Belize

For many Belizeans, immigration is something we hear about in headlines or political debates. But for thousands of people living quietly among us, it’s a daily struggle, marked by fear, uncertainty, and an incredible amount of resilience. Tonight, we bring you the story of a transgender woman who’s turned that struggle into unexpected inspiration. Twenty‑seven‑year‑old “Bestie”, born Melvin Cortez, has taken social media by storm. Her humor, energy, and infectious personality have won over viewers across the country. But behind the laughs and the viral videos is a much deeper story, one shaped by a lifelong fight to belong. From growing up undocumented to finally gaining legal status, Bestie’s journey shines a light on the hidden challenges faced by countless immigrants in Belize… and the life‑changing power of finally being seen. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez, a transgender woman, is more than a viral personality, she’s a bold voice changing the online conversation. At twenty-seven, she’s built a huge following by championing inclusivity and giving Belize’s LGBTQ community space to be seen and celebrated. Her upbeat videos and big energy make her instantly likable. But on Wednesday, Bestie shared the part fans never saw, a tough journey shaped by migration struggles and years of living without legal status in Belize. Behind the laughter is someone who fought hard for the chance to belong.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez, Corozal Resident

“For those of you know me know that I have been struggling with my legal status ever since I arrived in Belize. Back in 2007 my mom brought me to this country illegally. She was trying to protect me from sexual…but what I want to emphasize is not that. I want to emphasize that during my period being here in Belize for my entire life, my twenty-seven years of life, I was illegal in this country, I was struggling in this country. I didn’t have a voice in this country.”

 

In the original video, now topping half a million views, Cortez opened up about how an immigration status kept her from landing steady work or chasing her dreams. She laid out the obstacles plainly, showing viewers just how hard life can be when opportunity is always out of reach. But everything changed for Cortez in 2022, when the Belize Amnesty Program opened a path forward.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez

“And today, today I got everything done. If it was not for this fu***ng thing, you can’t do anything in Belize without this. You know how much you have changed my life. I can provide for my family without struggling in the streets.”

 

Cortez pulls back the curtain on the everyday hurdles immigrants face, things many Belizeans never have to think twice about. Even something as simple as enrolling in school becomes a major battle when your legal status is in limbo. Her story shows how complicated life gets when paperwork, not potential, decides your future.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez

“I remember when I hit first form and fourth form I thought I was not going to go to first form because I did not have a social. They were charging a one thousand dollars fee for I believe in Escuela Mexico for you to be able to study. For CCC it was higher. I was not able to go to CCC but I went to Escuela Mexico. They opened up their doors for me and always was there. Until this day I can say that school still had my back. Until six form I went to the college right there and I was unable to finish sixth form due to financial hardships as well.”

 

Dropping out of sixth form due to financial hardship forced Cortez to seek employment, and the realities of being an illegal immigrant in Belize only kept piling on.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez

“When I decided to stop sixth form and seek a job the first thing that everybody would ask would be for a social. I didn’t have a social, and doors were closed every time I would knock on a door they would say, “no, no”. No matter what kind of job you try to do in Belize as long as you don’t have a social no one will hire you, because no one will risk their license being taken away from you, their business license.”

 

After things fell apart with her mother, Cortez found refuge in a Pentecostal church. She lived there for months, with almost nothing and no job. But she didn’t stay down. She started selling fruits and vegetables on a tricycle for a local vendor, eventually saving enough to buy one of her own. It was a small beginning, but it marked her first real step toward rebuilding her life.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez

“I remember my mom loaned me seventy-five dollars and I went to the market and bought like five pounds of each, oh my God I want to cry, I bought like five pounds of each item, and I went and sold and spined it over.”

 

From pushing a vegetable cart to running his own stall, selling produce didn’t just pay the bills for Cortez, it gave her purpose. In a country where she lived without legal status, that small hustle became her anchor, helping her carve out a place for herself one sale at a time.

 

Melvin “Bestie” Cortez

“The most common thing you would hear immigrants say in Belize, their Belizean bosses, no shade to any Belizean because I love you all, they are very chancey. When I say chancey, the rate is at five dollars and hour. They would pay you twenty dollars to work. Across the entire country there literally people who will make you clean an entire house for forty dollars, everything wash, clean, iron, the whole entire situation for forty dollars.”

 

After his video went viral, Cortez became a relatable voice for immigrants living without status in Belize. And her journey is far from over. The amnesty program helped her secure a temporary Social Security card, get a job, and finish her Tourism Management degree. Once an undocumented immigrant, Melvin “Bestie” Cortez is now a proud graduate of Centro Escolar Mexico. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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