So, since John Zabaneh is still important to the company, both for his 20 years of banana farming experience, and as the final decision maker appointed by his mother, Myrtle Sheeran, what is he doing about the blacklisting from the US Government?
Well, he told us that he's working on trying to convince them to remove it, and he feels that he's making incremental progress:
John Zabaneh - Spokesperson, Mayan King Banana Farm
"The problem that I face is because the US says this, everybody believes. And I have a previous reputation. So makes it worse. I have been made a scapegoat for all the wrong doers in Belize. I have been made a folklore. Everybody believes. Even my attorneys believe this is so. I contacted US attorneys to deal with this thing, because it's in the US that this thing has to be dealt with. They want a million dollars advance and why you think? A man that is second in command to Chapo Guzman, a million dollars is small change. So they start off believing this bull and then I just said to hell with it. I don't have it and if I have it I don't have it to give away. So I am dealing with it directly and personally. I'm in connection and I am saying this to the world. Every will be hearing what I am saying. I am dealing and communicating directly with Washington and OFAC. And I as I am sitting here answering your questions, if I had any connection with Chapo Guzman or any of his kind, hearing this I would be in deep ____. I can only tell you I'm in communication with Washington and I am hoping that someday soon I will get and invitation from them for an interview. To sit in front of an investigative team. They have indicated to me that I will hear from them soon concerning the personal meeting."
Daniel Ortiz
"And if that personal meeting, if they call for that in America, would you go given the risk?"
John Zabaneh - Spokesperson, Mayan King Banana Farm
"I have told them yes that I would. Even though everybody tells me that. I have nothing to fear brother."
This afternoon, we tried contacting the Banana Growers Association to confirm Zabaneh's assertion that other Banana farms have suffered financial losses due to the drought, but we were told that the Chairman was busy in a very important meeting in Big Creek. We tried again this evening, and couldn't reach him by phone. We'll try again tomorrow.
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