Opposition Accuses Briceño Administration of Abuse of Power

The Budna Report has sparked fresh controversy after its submission to Prime Minister John Briceño on Tuesday. A release from his office confirmed the reinstatement of Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado and announced that Cabinet recommended an independent investigation into the alleged abduction of Joseph Budna.

In today’s Parliamentarian Caucus Press Conference, the United Democratic Party strongly dismissed the government’s handling of the case once more.

In her address, Leader of the Opposition Tracy Taegar-Panton called it a “national disgrace” and accused the administration of abusing its authority.

She said, “The powers in the case of Joseph Budna reeks, in my opinion, of a state-sanctioned kidnapping and now a cover-up.”

Panton argued that the Cabinet has overstepped its role by taking charge of an inquiry that should be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. “Our laws provide clear mechanisms for oversight,” she said. “Cabinet, as far as I am aware, has no investigative powers. Its role is policymaking. Not policing, not prosecuting. In this Briceño administration, they have become investigator, prosecutor, judge, and jury by holding to their chest this police inquiry report.”

The Tuesday report cleared Dr Rosado of involvement, and Cabinet immediately reinstated him after 23 days of leave, just about half of the forty-five-day leave.

The Opposition insists that the process lacks transparency. Panton said, “As Belizeans, we deserve the entire report, not selective snippets filtered through Cabinet. It seems that Cabinet is acting as its own kangaroo court, reviewing evidence in secret and seeking to protect its own.”

Panton accused the Briceño administration of being on a “fast track to being an authoritarian government.”

“If Cabinet can be allowed to interfere in a criminal investigation, if Cabinet can be allowed to conceal evidence, if Cabinet can be allowed to reinstate officials who are under suspicion or, at the bare minimum, scrutiny, then we risk, Belize risks, becoming a state where state-sanctioned kidnapping and justice for all are suppressed,” Panton said.