Finally, Marcus Canti Reveals Truth Behind Disappearance

Three weeks after his disappearance sent shockwaves through southern Belize, the Alcalde of Indian Creek is finally speaking out. Marcus Canti was found alive but shaken after what police believe may have been an abduction, fueling concerns about rising tensions in the Maya village. Now, for the first time since that ordeal, Canti is breaking his silence, opening up about the deep-rooted disputes, leadership struggles, and the frightening experience that thrust his community into the national spotlight.

 

Marcus Canti, Alcalde, Indian Creek Village

“Police come on several occasion to try to pick me up, but usually they find me with a crowd of villagers. And so they don’t take me because the people are there to witness. Unfortunately on April thirteenth, I made one wrong decision to quickly go to my farm by myself to pick up my tomatoes and I can only suspect that they were monitoring my movement. Because before that time I always have someone I trust with me, but I wasn’t, but I wasn’t there for more than a few minutes. And I had already picked my tomatoes when I was suddenly attacked, hit, and forcefully taken. The first four men came to grab me, and they were joined by a fifth who held me at gunpoint and took me to a truck waiting on the roadside. And I later realized there was a sixth person in the vehicle where I was pushed in, tied up and bounded. My hands, legs, mouth, and eyes were bound. These men were, wore face mask, but I was able to identify a few of them by voice ID.”

 

Canti Breaks Silence, Slams Slow Pace of Investigation

 

Tonight, new questions are being raised about the investigation into the alleged abduction of Indian Creek Alcalde Marcus Canti. While he’s now speaking publicly about his terrifying ordeal, Canti is also voicing frustration, saying three weeks later, no one has been arrested, despite police having his statement and, he claims, the identities of those involved. Now, he’s challenging investigators to act, insisting that if a crime was committed, justice should not be delayed.

 

Marcus Canti, Alcalde, Indian Creek Village

“I am very concerned at the slow pace that the police is taking. I am concerned that there is no regular updates from the investigating unit. Every time we have to try to call to ask for updates and not much is being done. It appears to me like they are not taking this matter seriously. The job of the police is to investigate and bring justice when a crime is committed. And I can say for a fact that a crime was committed on me, being forcefully taken from my farm against my will, being held hostage without water and food, being beaten and bounded and eventually discarded of this. If this happened to any of you, would you call it a crime? Insist that the police do an extensive investigation and to bring charges against those whom I have already identified. You have my statement. You know who I identify. Let them prove their innocence or cover their guilt.”

 

Coc Blames Ya’axche Intervention for Indian Creek Tension

 

The Toledo Alcalde Association is now calling for justice in the case of Indian Creek Alcalde Marcus Canti, while also pointing to deeper tensions in the village. Spokesperson Cristina Coc says the conflict goes beyond one incident, highlighting long-standing disputes over land use, authority, and conservation enforcement. She argues those unresolved issues, including the presence of Ya’axché rangers, have fueled growing friction the government has yet to address.

 

Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, Toledo Alcalde Association, Maya Leaders Alliance

“This is a serious matter. This is an abduction of a local magistrate. We impress upon the police to pursue every angle. Just because we are poor indigenous people doesn’t mean a crime against us is any less to investigate. The root cause of this problem, as you have heard, began with the introduction of the Ya’axché rangers. This is a third party interest using its powers, using its resources, using its authority to interfere with customary users of land. All of this has been documented and reported. So I will say here that all of this is what has escalated to the point that we are here now. Make no mistake, the unlawful targeting and abduction of Mr. Canti is not an isolated matter.”

 

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.

 

Watch the full newscast here: