Immigrants in Belize

How unbelievable is this man...........


Pedro Venereo Castro, 44, a Cuban inmate who has served out his six-month sentence at the Hattieville Prison for coming to Belize illegally, has threatened since last Thursday to go on a hunger strike until he is released.

Representatives of the Human Rights Commission of Belize have been alerted to the situation, but claim that there is not much they can do at this point for Venereo. Cuba does not want him, and neither does the United States, where he lived previously, said a member of the Commission, who added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belize has “put its feet down” and said that Venereo should not be granted asylum in Belize. “Where does he go? He can’t be left in prison forever,” said Commission member, Rick August of Help for Progress.

Venereo served out his time a week and three days ago, but has remained behind bars up to press time today. Hubel Rodriguez, a fellow inmate behind bars since June 2008, also for illegal entry, has been trying to get his matter heard in court, via a habeas corpus application, demanding protection against illegal imprisonment. Rodriguez is still seeking financial help to pursue that case.

Venereo insists that his hunger strike will continue until he is released from behind bars.

“We know he’s eating,” said a high ranking prison official who does not wish to be identified.

The official, who said he wants to see the Cubans released from prison, told Amandala that the matter is now in the hands of the Government of Belize, and more specifically the Ministry of National Security and Immigration. He claimed that Venereo had said last week that if he does not get out “something will happen.”

Posted by Samira Verde at 7:40 PM

Labels: belize, immigrants, immigration