Belize Businesswoman Charged With Human Trafficking (twice)

We have two reports of the same women in Belize being charged with human trafficking, two different cases, two different bars, same story.

She is walking around doing this over and over again. What are the Police doing??

Businesswoman Narcisa Orellana of Santa Elena Town has been charged for two counts of trafficking in person. An 18-year-old domestic reported to police that between March first and May 10 she was working as an unpaid waitress for the businesswoman. She said Orellana forced her to work and have sexual intercourse with male clients against her will. As a result of the report Orellano was arrested and charged.

Police have detained two women and charged one of them in separate reports of trafficking in persons.

In the first report, on April 25, 2010, a 22-year-old domestic of Santa Elena Town visited the station around 3:30 p.m. and reported that a female minor was being abused, exploited and kept against her will at Riverside Bar in Bullet Tree Village, and was being compelled to provide labor at the residence of the bar’s owner.

Police located the minor and transported her to the station and subsequently detained Estella Pinelo, 33, pending continued investigations. The minor was released to personnel of the Human Development Department.

In the second report, police say they have arrested and charged Narcisa Orellana, 54, of Santa Elena, for attempted trafficking in persons following a report by a 15-year-old of Valley of Peace on May 10, 2010.

And while on the subject of human trafficking, it is important to note that just last Friday, July 9th the Organization for Responsible Tourism, ORT, filed formal complaints with international human rights bodies, registering petitions on behalf of the Campaign to Stop Human Trafficking in Belize.

The organization has filed complaints with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States; and the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The ORT is asking government for three specific actions including enforcing Belize’s quote, “own human trafficking laws; tighten border protocols to stop traffickers bringing victims into Belize; and strengthen and enforce liquor licensing laws so that bar owners cannot profit from forced prostitution of human trafficking victims”.

The ORT has also offered partnership with Prime Minister Dean Barrow to negotiate the ORT recommended actions with the US so as to help avoid the Tier three status for Belize and its potential economic sanctions.