But that's not the only report the US has blacklisted Belize on. We're also listed as "Tier 3" country for human trafficking – one of 23 countries in that
tier. That's the absolute lowest rating and denotes countries whose governments aren't making significant efforts to comply with minimum human traffic
standards. And that's why government was applauding from the sidelines when Estella Gonzalez was convicted of human trafficking in February. But after
that instead of being sent to jail, the judge fined the 64 year old instead of confining her to jail. It caused public outcry, and a big headache for
government which wanted a custodial sentence. But still, the Prime Minister told us that he can't question the judge's decision:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Well I'm happy there was a conviction because the Americans are always complaining about the lack of convictions. In terms of the sentence, I get the
sense that the general populous feels that the sentence ought to have been far more severe. We have to respect the judge, there is and can be no
suggestion that the leniency was provoked by anything other than his judicial consideration of all the circumstances. So I too would have wished is the
sentence had been a little more punitive but I respect the judge."
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