Office of the Prime Minister Accuses 7News of “Malicious Attacks”

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has issued a sharply worded statement accusing Channel 7 News Director Jules Vasquez of launching “petty, personal, malicious, and ridiculous attacks” against Prime Minister John Briceño.

The OPM’s response follows a November 26 Channel 7 social media post reporting that Mexican businessman and Miss Universe co-owner Raúl Rocha had been charged in Mexico for alleged criminal activities. The post also noted that Prime Minister Briceño met Rocha in 2024, a detail the OPM says Vasquez included to “cast aspersions” and create a false link between the two.

This station also ran the story. We obtained a comment from the Prime Minister before publishing and later from Minister Dr. Osmond Martinez. Minister Michel Chebat has not responded to our request for comment. 

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Briceño’s meeting with Rocha was part of an official government engagement focused on investment, trade, and economic opportunities. The statement notes that the prime minister routinely meets with international business figures and officials in his professional capacity.

The OPM also pushed back by referencing past corruption allegations involving Vasquez’s late father, former BTL executive Nestor Vasquez. The 405-word statement added that “if Vasquez is indeed on the hunt for corruption, he need not look far. Prime Minister John Briceño also met with the late Nestor Vasquez, father of Jules, on numerous occasions.”

Back in 2024, the estate of former Belize Telemedia Limited chairman Nestor “Net” Vasquez reached a full and final settlement with BTL over funds he was accused of misusing while in office. Vasquez, who resigned in 2020 amid allegations of mismanagement and agreed to repay more than $800,000, had begun making payments before his death in April 2021.

The statement says, “The Office of the Prime Minister has no issue with the media or with fair, factual reporting, even in those cases where it challenges the Prime Minister or members of the Government. Belize is a democratic country, and the prime minister is the most accessible in Belize’s political history.”

The Office of the Prime Minister warned that if what it views as personal attacks continue, it will consider “every legal recourse available” to address the matter.

News 5 reached out to Vasquez for comment about the OPM’s statement. Vasquez said, “Is he ok?”