Belize’s former Ambassador to Cuba, Said Badi Guerra, was granted bail on Thursday after appearing before the magistrate’s court in Benque Viejo del Carmen on multiple serious charges, including sexual assault involving a minor.
Guerra, 50, was charged with four counts of sexual assault, one count of harm, and one count of procuring defilement by threat. The court granted him bail in the sum of $10,000 Belize dollars, with two sureties of the same amount. The charges stem from a formal complaint made last week by a 16-year-old male from San Ignacio Town, Cayo District.
According to reports received by Love News, the incident allegedly took place on Monday, July 14, in Benque Viejo del Carmen. The complainant was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the alleged assault. Guerra, now a schoolteacher, is accused of coercing the minor into consuming alcoholic beverages and luring him to his home, where the alleged incident occurred.
In a statement to the media following his court appearance, Guerra maintained his innocence and urged reporters to use accurate legal terminology. “This is not rape,” he said, emphasizing that the matter should be properly characterized.
Guerra previously served as Belize’s Ambassador to Cuba during the Barrow administration and held several high-level positions, including Chief of Protocol in 2017. He is also a Commissioner of the High Court and played a public role during the ICJ Referendum awareness campaign in 2018.
The case has sparked national outrage. The National Women’s Commission released a statement urging urgent action to end the sexual abuse of children and calling for stronger protections to safeguard minors from exploitation and harm.
In addition, Belizeans have taken to social media, denouncing the alleged actions of the former diplomat and demanding accountability and justice for the survivor.
The case is ongoing as Guerra awaits his next court appearance.
