Belizean Traveler Alleges Homophobic Abuse at Border Crossing

A Belizean man is publicly accusing an immigration officer of making homophobic comments toward him and his boyfriend while crossing the western border into Guatemala. The man, identified as Nuhann Lopez, shared his account on social media, describing the incident as humiliating and deeply disappointing. He said immigration officers represent Belize to both citizens and visitors and should uphold professionalism and respect. Lopez claims the situation worsened when his sister questioned the officer’s behavior, leading to further disrespect and even threats to call the police. He has since filed a formal report, and separate complaints have also been lodged with the Belizean Embassy in Guatemala. In his statement, Lopez stated quote, “I sincerely hope Belize Immigration takes this matter seriously, conducts a thorough review, and holds its officers to the standards of professionalism, dignity, and respect that every person deserves. Belize can and should do better than this.” End quote. He is now urging authorities to take the matter seriously. The Ministry of Immigration has acknowledged the complaint, with CEO Tanya Santos noting her concern over the allegations and has received reports from all immigration officers present.

 

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: