Government minister goes on leave in Belize amid scandal

BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister John Briceño says he has accepted a request from the embattled Minister of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, Andre Perez, for a leave of absence from the Cabinet.

A statement said “during his leave of absence, an investigation will be conducted into the recent allegations against Minister Perez,” and that “at the conclusion of the investigation, the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs will advise the Prime Minister on whether there has been any actionable wrongdoing”.

The Rural South Area representative is embroiled in a scandal involving a female attorney who has made allegations against the minister.

Media reports said a demand is being made for a criminal investigation to be launched, given the graphic descriptions shared by the attorney in her account of what purportedly took place involving Perez.

The government statement said that the “Cabinet is confident that Minister Perez remains committed to and will continue to serve the interests of his constituents in Belize Rural South” and that “in the meantime, the Cabinet respects Minister Perez's privacy as he and his family work through this difficult situation.”

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