Minister of State Ramon Cervantes is denying any involvement in authorities contracts awarded to an organization operated by members of his prolonged household. The subject has come into focus following stories that J and J Imports, an organization registered in 2022 and linked to Enrique Javier Requena and his son Jamir Requena of Orange Walk, obtained thousands and thousands of {dollars} in enterprise supplying rations to the Belize Defence Force. According to data being circulated from SmartStream cost data, J and J Imports obtained roughly three million {dollars} throughout the 2023-2024 monetary 12 months, accounting for about twenty-four % of BDF ration provides throughout that interval. The firm has been recognized as one of many main suppliers in the data reviewed. But Cervantes says he had completely no function in securing, managing or influencing any authorities contracts involving his cousin’s enterprise. He maintains that the corporate’s dealings with the federal government are separate from his work as a Minister of State.
Reporter: What’s relation to Enrique and Jamir Requena from J&J Imports?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “Enrique ? I know Jamir Requena he is my second cousin. He is the son of my cousin.”
Reporter: Were you instrumental in them receiving any contracts with the Ministry of Defense?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “No, not at all I have nothing to do with it.”
Reporter: So you had no involvement in them getting the provision association. They are the house owners of J&J Imports.
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “No, I had no involvement in that any at all.”
Reporter: Do they provide your constituency with pantry or any grocery baggage ?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “No, they don’t.”
Reporter: Did you communicate to Minister Marin to give them a lift with the provision contract?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “No, I didn’t speak to them.”
Reporter: J&J imports was registered on May 3, 2022 by your family members in Requenas. Was the corporate established to profit the BDF provide contracts?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “I don’t know.”
Reporter: We are informed that you’re being thought-about to be assigned the protection portfolio, however the Prime Minister determined towards it due to your connection to J&J imports which is a prime provider to the BDF. Is this true?
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology: “I don’t know if I was being considered and I have no connection with J&J. As far as I know the Prime Minister has ordered an audit of the ministry and those same transactions you are talking about. So I think that is a step in the right direction to get a clear and true picture of what transpired.”
The stories have additionally drawn consideration to a collection of 9 invoices processed on a single day in 2025, every valued at 9 thousand, 9 hundred and twelve {dollars} and fifty cents. That determine falls just under the ten-thousand-dollar threshold that may set off extra procurement necessities.