As we told you, she was detained this weekend in Melchor for the theft of a cellular phone. She was then arrested and charged with aggravated robbery due to a report that she was found with a knife. Because of that knife, which is taken as a sign of aggression, she got into more serious trouble, and she was risking 6 months of jail time if she was convicted.

After spending 3 nights inn Guatemalan state prison at San Benito, Peten, she was taken before the Chief Magistrate who has jurisdiction for the Department of Peten. By that time, Foreign Affairs Diplomat Said Guerra had been on the ground personally interceding on her behalf. She had a difficulty with the language barrier, and he took over as advisor and translator. Before today's hearing, he met with the Guatemalan Chief Magistrate and successfully convinced him that Kayla was not violent or aggressive, and so the nature of the crime should be downgraded. That argument was successful especially due to a confusion in the wording of the police report related to the topic of the knife she was allegedly caught with.

They also talked about the improvement of relations between Belize and Guatemala, the confidence building measures between both countries, and the implications of jailing Sanchez in that wider context.

Guerra then spoke with the complainant who was accusing Sanchez. Her accuser later agreed not to press charges against her. So, she got off basically, scot free, no guilty plea, no jail time, and she didn't have to defend herself in a criminal trial for the charge. The only consequence of this incident for Kayla Sanchez is that she is banned from returning to Guatemala for an entire year.