The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) has written to United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, requesting evidence to prove Washington’s claim that former national security minister, John Saldivar is a significantly corrupt individual.
Washington earlier this month announced that Saldivar “accepted bribes for the improper acquisition of Belizean immigration documents and interfered in public processes for his personal benefit during his tenure as a government official”.
The US Department of State said in a statement that section 7031(c) provides that officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members about whom the US Secretary of State has credible information of direct or indirect involvement in significant corruption, or a gross violation of human rights, are ineligible for entry into the United States.
“Corrupt acts such as these undermine the integrity of Belize’s democratic institutions, and fuel perceptions of corruption and impunity, diminishing confidence in governance,” the State Department said.
The UDP, which announced last week that it a special committee will be convening on Friday to determine Saldivar’s fate as a candidate in the next general elections, has confirmed writing Antony Blinken on the matter.
“We have a member of our party who is looking to enter into a convention to represent our party and a designation is given, like the one that was given, not only against him, but his wife, his children, a minor child, everybody except the dog,” said UDP chairman and former attorney general, Mike Peyrefitte.
“And so, we want to see what evidence they are depending on or what evidence they used to come to that decision so that the UDP may look at that evidence and come to our own decision. So we just wanted to know what they have because they didn’t present any information,” he added.
Peyrefitte said Washington did not indicate when it made the original announcement that Saldivar “was “indicted or charged or anything.
“So we want to see what evidence they have so we as an organization can assess that evidence and think of a way forward. Whether they want to give it or not, we have an obligation to ask for it because you are making a very serious designation and, purportedly, you have information that a particular person acted a way when they were Minister of Immigration for approximately three months.
Saldivar, has described as “left field, baseless, and malicious,” the arguments put forward by the United States government for imposing sanctions on him and members of his family amid allegations of his alleged involvement in “significant corruption”.
Saldivar said he is consulting with local attorneys and is fully aware that he will need a US attorney to defend himself in America and would not allow these, “unfounded and malicious allegation to drive me out of politics.”
Peyrefitte said whatever decision is arrived at by the special committee tasked with deliberating Saldivar’s political future, it will done in the best interest of the party.
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