PM Considers Request to Return Budna to Belize

Prime Minister John Briceño says his administration is considering formally asking Guatemala to return Joseph Budna to Belize, not for release, but to serve any remaining prison sentence locally.

Speaking this morning on The Morning Show, Briceño said he intends to raise the matter at Cabinet level and has already begun discussions with a few ministers.

“On the Budna issue, I think I am going to recommend it to Cabinet… to see if, from government to government, we can ask for Budna to be returned to Belize, but to go to jail,” the Prime Minister said.

Briceño explained that Belize has previously engaged in prisoner transfer arrangements with Mexico and could explore a similar government-to-government agreement with Guatemala.

“We do that with Mexico from time to time. We have prisoner exchange, but the agreement is that he has to spend the time in jail,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that he is unsure how much time Budna has left to serve in Guatemala but said Belize would provide assurances that any remaining sentence would be enforced locally.

Budna remains incarcerated in Guatemala following his controversial abduction from Orange Walk in August.