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Why Raid Santa Cruz Before Dawn?
Fri, July 3, 2015
So, what do Punta Gorda Police have to say about this allegation from the Mayans that they were brutalized and roughly handled by the officers who conducted their detention on that day? Well, on the day of the arraignment, we approached all the commanders of the south who were present, but they told us that they couldn't speak on the matter. This time around, when we asked again, Superintendent Simeon Alvarez was willing to oblige us.

He explained what happened that day, from the police's perspective:

Supt. Simeon Alvarez - OC, Punta Gorda Police
"That operation was led by my deputy at that time, Inspector Ornel Domingez. We decided to go around that time because we knew that all players were farmers. These farmers usually go early to farm and if we go there broad daylight we would not have caught up with them. So I recommend as the officer, commanding that we move around that specific time. And with the assistance of police officers from Dangriga. We went into the area and we brought in everybody. Once they were in custody, nobody complained of any injuries to them. Nobody complained of any pain or damages done to them by the police. The only person that I had mention to a media early that said that she was feeling ill was Cristina Coc. We volunteered to take her to the hospital and she refused. The attorneys were here before they were taken to court and not one of the attorney made any complain to me as the officer commanding to say that her client was injured during the raid. I interviewed my police officers personally based on an allegation of a second person, a lady that was brought here. I did not entertained the attorney in giving her a medical form. I did not entertain that because if that lady that was allegedly injured by the police had abstracted the police during their detention of the suspects, she would have been brought in for obstruction. No, they came the following day. Anything could have happen to that lady would have fallen between that morning and the following day. So why should I entertain that? It was a no no for me."

Daniel Ortiz
"So you believe that these are all made up stories?"

Supt. Simeon Alvarez - OC, Punta Gorda Police
"I strongly believe that."

Daniel Ortiz
"A lot has been made of the fact that some person were brought without the proper attire. They say that it was some form of tactic by the police to sort of demean or disrespect them "We run this place. When we come for you, you will come and you will move how we want you to move." Can you respond to that?"

Supt. Simeon Alvarez - OC, Punta Gorda Police
"I wasn't there to say whether the police did that, did give that statement. We would not be like what they did. The statement they gave according to the complainant Mr. Miles. We would never go that direction. I had spoken to the deputy who had led that operation and he gave me certain information why 4 of them were brought without shirts and the family were asked to bring their clothing. I will not reveal why."

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