By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 27-year-old Salvadoran national who had been living in Belize for more than six years has been fined and will be sent back to his home country after pleading guilty to an immigration offense in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.
Jose Neftaly Senteno Quintanilla appeared unrepresented on Monday afternoon on a single charge of failure to produce a visitor’s permit to an Immigration Officer on demand. He wasted no time in pleading guilty to the charge.
The court fined Quintanilla $1,000 plus a $5 cost of court fee, which he was ordered to pay forthwith, in default six months imprisonment.
Allegations are that on Monday, March 2, 2026, Quintanilla was in the Gungulung area of Belize City when he was approached and asked to produce a visitor’s permit by an Immigration Officer. He was unable to do so.
Police initially picked him up on suspicion that he might have been affiliated with a gang; however, investigations revealed that he had no gang affiliation.
Authorities say that at around 9:30 a.m., Immigration personnel were called in by CIB officers. During questioning, Quintanilla reportedly failed to produce any documentation authorizing his stay in Belize.
Records indicate that Quintanilla entered Belize in 2018 via the Benque Viejo River in the Cayo District but had no entry stamp in his Salvadoran passport. He was unable to provide a visitor’s permit or any official documentation supporting his legal status in the country.
He was subsequently cautioned, informed of his illegal status, formally charged, and brought before the court.
Following the conclusion of the matter, immigration authorities are expected to make arrangements for Quintanilla to be deported to El Salvador.
The post Salvadoran man living in Belize for last 6 years picked up on gang suspicion but couldn’t produce visitor’s permit; awaiting deportation now appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 27-year-old Salvadoran national who had been living in Belize for more than six years has been fined and will be sent back to his home country after pleading guilty to an immigration offense in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Jose Neftaly Senteno Quintanilla appeared unrepresented on Monday afternoon on
The post Salvadoran man living in Belize for last 6 years picked up on gang suspicion but couldn’t produce visitor’s permit; awaiting deportation now appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
