By: Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize I Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Friday, 19th Sepember 2025

A Constitutional Battle Unfolds

The already turbulent waters of Belizean politics have been stirred once more. On September 16th, 2025, a seventy-four-page constitutional claim landed at the Supreme Court of Belize, one that could shake the very foundations of governance, accountability, and human rights in this country.

At its center stands Joseph Ryan Budna, a controversial social media commentator currently imprisoned in Guatemala, who alleges he was the victim of a state-sponsored abduction and rendition. Budna has filed a lawsuit naming as defendants Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa, Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado, and eight senior law enforcement officers.

Represented by attorneys Arthur Saldivar, Michelle Trapp, and Emmertice Anderson, Budna charges that he was unlawfully arrested, beaten, tortured, and forcibly expelled from Belize across the Arenal border into Guatemalan hands—all without judicial process or respect for Belize’s Constitution.

The Allegations

In his affidavit, Budna recounts a harrowing ordeal between August 22nd and 23rd, 2025:

• He claims he noticed a suspicious vehicle trailing him and reported it to police.
• Near the Orange Walk Police Station, he was ambushed by armed officers.
• He describes being beaten with a firearm, blindfolded, and thrown into a vehicle.
• Hours later, he says he was delivered to Guatemalan authorities at the Arenal crossing, battered and stripped of his rights.

His legal team argues this was not an extradition, not a deportation, but an illegal rendition, orchestrated by the very institutions sworn to uphold the law.

Saldivar minced no words:

“It was not our responsibility to break the law to take him back. The Guatemalans slipped up, and that happened. But here, in Belize, the rule of law was abandoned. Who gave the instruction must be held accountable.”

Rights and Treaties Violated

The claim outlines breaches of:

• The Constitution of Belize – right to liberty, protection of the law, freedom of expression, protection from torture.
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• The American Convention on Human Rights.
• The Convention Against Torture.

Budna seeks:

• Judicial declarations that his rights were violated.
• An official inquiry into the officers and ministers implicated.
• Disciplinary sanctions on those responsible.
• Orders for his return to Belize.
• Damages—compensatory, aggravated, exemplary.

A Familiar Playbook

Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow, weighing in, pointed to history:

“Remember twenty years ago, a similar thing happened when a Belizean was whisked off to the United States. But this is worse—you abduct a citizen and hand him to Guatemala? Where is the fair play in that?”

Budna’s claim echoes a pattern: state power exercised outside constitutional guardrails, with ordinary citizens paying the price.

Government’s Reaction

Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca admitted that the government was not blindsided:

“We were aware Mr. Budna intended to sue. Our embassy staff visited him in Guatemala, checked on his health, and confirmed he had legal representation. It’s his right as a citizen to pursue this case, and it will have to go through the courts.”

But while Fonseca struck a diplomatic tone, critics say the case has already exposed deep fissures in the rule of law, calling into question whether ministers and senior police officers acted under instructions—or in outright violation of their constitutional oaths.

International Implications

This case is more than a domestic lawsuit. It cuts across borders, laws, and Belize’s international image.

By bypassing formal extradition processes, the Government of Belize stands accused of trampling international conventions it is bound to uphold. The Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (Inter-American Press Association) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights—previously alerted during Budna’s abduction saga—may yet find themselves drawn back into the spotlight.

At stake is whether Belize, a nation that prides itself on democratic principles, has engaged in state-sponsored torture and rendition.

The Larger Question

For Belizeans, this lawsuit is not just about Joseph Budna. It is about whether constitutional guarantees are only paper promises.

If senior government officials can orchestrate an extrajudicial handover, what protection exists for ordinary citizens?

Budna, once dismissed by many as a sensationalist voice on social media, has now become a litmus test for human rights, transparency, and accountability in Belize.

The Road Ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in the coming weeks. The outcome could have historic consequences, both legally and politically.

Should the court find merit in Budna’s claims, the Briceno administration could face a constitutional reckoning, with damages and international scrutiny to follow. Should the case collapse, questions will still linger about the state’s handling of Budna and the limits of executive power.

Either way, this lawsuit has forced Belize to look in the mirror—and the reflection is troubling.

🟩 Pull Quotes:

“Who gave the instruction must be held accountable.” – Arthur Saldivar

“You abduct a Belizean citizen and send him to Guatemala?” – Dean Barrow

“It comes as no surprise… it is his right as a citizen.” – Francis Fonseca

“Broad Contradiction, brazen, and in breach of the Constitution.” – Court Filing