“Bestie” Shares Life Behind the Screen as an Immigrant

Twenty-seven-year-old Melvin Daniel Cortez, known on social media as “Bestie,” has captured attention online after sharing a story of growing up undocumented in Belize.

Brought to the country as a child by a parent seeking a better life and leaving difficult conditions behind, Cortez faced years of hardship, from sleeping on church floors to pushing a tricycle of vegetables through the streets of Corozal to survive.

Now legally documented and able to work, Cortez spoke with News Five about the challenges faced as an immigrant in Belize.

“In school, yes, the kids would call you yellow belly pania, or alien, or tell you to go back to your country, or say you don’t belong here,” Cortez told News Five. “But when it comes to job opportunities, it’s very hard for any immigrant in Belize. No one wants to hire someone without papers because they don’t want to risk their trade license.”

Cortez, who is a trans woman, described years of selling vegetables and even chocolate bananas to make ends meet, often earning less than $15 a day. Many immigrants, they say, face exploitation because of undocumented status.

“That’s the main thing most immigrants share in Belize: the disadvantage people take because you don’t have papers,” Cortez explained.

Despite the struggles, Cortez says they never hid their identity and never lost hope. “There’s a saying, ‘Lo que siembras, cosechas.’ So if you harvest good stuff, it’s because you sowed good stuff… As an immigrant, it’s very easy to say, ‘I’m just gonna go and steal, or do something for quick money.’ But where does that lead you?”

Cortez’s story has resonated widely online, highlighting the struggles of Belize’s immigrant community.

Catch the full story on News 5 Live at 6 o’clock.