Belize: Senior diplomat charged for alleged sexual offence
The Ministry of Human Development Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs in Belize has noted with dismay an extensive interview on a local media house by former Ambassador Said Badi Guerra concerning Alexis Rosado.
Rosado, 51, who is considered one of Belize’s senior diplomats, is currently before the courts on several charges, including one count of rape, one count of sexual assault and six counts of aggravated sexual assault of an indecent nature. The complaint had come from a woman in her 20s who claimed the sexual relations started when she was 13 years old.
The ministry, in a statement, said not only does it believe that such a media appearance was utterly incorrect because the accusations against Alexis Rosado are now before the Court, but several highly troubling issues arise from Guerra having been afforded that forum.
It reminds Guerra and all Belizeans that there is no statute of limitation on the bringing of criminal charges against an accused. Likewise, the ministry believes that Guerra should not have been allowed on radio and television to hold forth in defence of his friend in circumstances of serious charges having been laid.
It notes that the most troubling is that the media house facilitated Guerra in his claim that there are persons intent on framing or destroying Rosado and that there must be a conspiracy against him.
The ministry warns such claims only serve to foster a climate of victim-blaming, which it strongly rejects and thus calls on all Belizeans to be keenly aware of and to resist.
It adds that Guerra's utterances displayed classic signs of gender bias that ‘we must all strive to break if our families, and our women and children, in particular, are to be protected.’
The ministry is calling on all media houses and outlets to refrain from speculation and exercise full professional ethics in reporting on cases of the sexual abuse of persons.
It also always stands ready to offer training to media professionals in this regard and, in light of this current circumstance, will schedule a training and sensitisation session.
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