Fonseca Steps Back into the Spotlight After Heart Surgery

After two months away from public duties, Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca is easing back into the job. Fresh off a triple bypass surgery, Fonseca made his official return to work today, choosing a fitting stage for the occasion, the launch of the theme for Belize’s Forty-Five Years of Independence celebrations. As he resumes a demanding schedule and reconnects with public life, we caught up with the veteran minister to find out how his recovery is progressing, how he’s adjusting to being back on the job, and what this milestone return means for him. Here’s what he told us.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I’m doing great.  I’m doing great. Doing great. It’s only been two months. So I think, obviously I’m not one hundred percent, but I’m getting there. But I feel really good. I feel really good. I’ve had a great team of doctors who helped me and guided me through this entire process. I’m very grateful to the entire team at the KHMH Dr. Coye, Dr. Lynn Dr. Arriaga their American partners, the nurses, Nurse Blake, Nurse Gomez, all of them who really supported me every step of the way. And I’m very grateful. I’ll use this opportunity to thank the Belizean people. Very grateful for the outpouring of support and love and prayers that I received from Belizeans across the country, across the political divide. So I’m very grateful for that, and I want to use this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for that outpouring of support.”

 

Reporter

“Did you have a complete break or were you kept abreast?”

 

Francis Fonseca

“Yeah. The first few weeks I really was completely focused on my recovery. But certainly in the last few weeks I’ve been more in tune with what is happening and more in touch with my offices.”

 

Fonseca credited his quick recovery to his dedicated team of medical professionals at the Karl Hausner Memorial Hospital and says he is grateful to be back.

 

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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