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Today, he was airlifted home, and we got a chance to meet him and his family. He and his commandant told us about the very long recovery he's going through to remain a member of the Coast Guard:

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"Petty Officer Diego had an unfortunate accident back in April, to be specific, on April 19th where he got shot in his lower left leg. He spent the better part of 2 weeks here in Belize in the medical facility where his situation deteriorated so rapidly that they were discussing to remove his leg on day 3. I had begged them not to because I thought his leg could be saved. We got the Mexican navy involved around day 5. He went to Chetumal for some checks and examinations, somewhere around day 14 he was airlifted again by the Mexican navy to the Mexican navy hospital in Mexico City. He's been there for 2 months, eventually he lost his leg, and he was tremendously infected with gangrene almost to the point where he could have lost his life."

Kevin Diego, Petty Officer Class 3 - Coast Guard
"Eventually the doctors at Karl Heusner told me that I'd have to lose my foot and I was not ready to hear that so I told my family that I needed to move from the hospital and try to get help somewhere else. We ended up in Chetumal where we were getting assistance there. However, finance ran low so we asked for further assistance from the Mexican navy and that's how I ended up in Mexico City. They've been really helpful they taught me through everything, they got me a translator, so I really understood everything that was taking place and they were openly willing to assist me so we became like a family."

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"After 6 weeks he goes back to Mexico City for another 6 weeks and that's how he receives his prosthetic leg and the rehabilitation process continues, so it fits properly, so he gets used to it. again we continue to work on him mentally, physically, psychologically, so the integration process, like I said, when it comes down the road it happens rather smoothly."

As you heard in our interview, the assistance from the Mexican Navy is part of a bilateral relationship. Today, the Mexican Navy Officials and the Coast Guard updated that relationship so that is tailored specifically to their partnership.

They discussed it briefly with us before they went into their meeting on it:

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"Our Mexican navy counterparts have been stellar in their support to the Belize Coast Guard and this is part of the cooperation mechanism that exist between the two forces and by extension, the two states meaning the country of Belize and the United States of Mexico."

George Lovell - CEO, Ministry of National Security
"We have under the bilateral arrangement with Mexico and Belize. An arrangement for corporation in matters like these and this is a true testament of the partnership that we have with the Mexicans. It has come to fruition, shows where when we are really in need that we have a partner on our side."

Mexican counterpart
"Thank you, as I tell you, we are neighbors, we are to help each other and hopefully we could handle a little bit of support with the minister of the navy of Mexico."

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"It is by and large on the courtesy and the goodwill of the secretary of the Mexican navy, he's not only the minister, and he's the secretary. He's a good friend of mine and he's proven to be beyond any praise that I can lay on him."

George Lovell - CEO, Ministry of National Security
"We normally refer to it as GANSEF. GANSEF has been going on now from since 2005 and it is an initiative where we have been collaborating with our neighbors in the north."

We were unable to get information on the specifics since there are confidential aspects of this updated partnership.