SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE FEATURE

By: Omar Silva: Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize – Investigative Desk

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Friday 28th November 2025

THE STORY GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SPIN… AND THE STORY THEY HOPE YOU NEVER SEE

Only 48 hours after Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú—co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization and head of the sprawling Legacy Holding Group—was charged by Mexico’s federal prosecutors for drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, fuel smuggling, and organized crime, Belize’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) released an angry, defensive press statement.

But something was off.

The tone was emotional.
The language was hostile.
The energy was misdirected — attacking a journalist instead of answering the nation.

And what stood out most was what wasn’t said.

Not one sentence denying that the Briceño Administration has ongoing business engagements with Rocha.
Not one sentence confirming whether any MOU, letter of intent, or investment promise exists.
Not one sentence addressing whether Belize’s security partners flagged Rocha long ago.
Not one word reassuring Belizeans that Rocha’s sudden downfall will not affect future port, energy, or tourism investments that this administration has been quietly negotiating.

The press release was not meant to clarify.
It was meant to deflect.

And that is exactly why this National Perspective exposé is necessary today.

**SECTION 1 — WHO IS RAÚL ROCHA CANTÚ?

THE MAN BELIZE’S PRIME MINISTER CALLED A “MAGNATE” ONE YEAR BEFORE HE WAS CHARGED**

For Belizeans who may only know Rocha as “the Miss Universe co-owner,” here are the facts:

1. Mexican business empire

Rocha heads Legacy Holding Group, a multi-sector conglomerate in:

• fuel & energy
• aviation
• industrial services
• hospitality
• entertainment
• and high-visibility pageantry

2. A history of controversy long before Miss Universe

• Former owner of Casino Royale in Monterrey, where 52 people died in a cartel attack (2011).
• Media investigations linked the casino’s irregular permits to years of government-business collusion in Nuevo León.
• Rocha vanished from public life after the massacre, only to re-emerge later as a self-branded “global investor.”

3. Honorary Guatemalan Consul in Monterrey

His role as honorary consul gave him:

• political cover,
• high-level diplomatic access,
• and influence over cross-border business corridors.

4. Now formally charged in Mexico

Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) accuses Rocha of:

• drug trafficking
• fuel smuggling (“huachicol”)
• weapons trafficking
• financing a cross-border criminal network operating between Guatemala and Mexico
• money laundering through his energy companies

These allegations are not rumours.
They are the subject of official charges, public court filings, and wide international coverage.

**SECTION 2 — THE BELIZE CONNECTION:

HOW BRICEÑO OPENED THE DOOR, AND WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS PANICKING NOW**

The “investment charm offensive” — October 2024, Mexico City

Prime Minister John Briceño, Minister Michel Chebat, and Minister Dr. Osmond Martinez met Rocha at the corporate offices of Legacy Holding Group.

Photos were posted publicly.
Rocha celebrated the meeting on social media.
Belizean ministers recycled the images proudly.

The message then?

A powerful Mexican magnate is ready to invest in Belize.

The message today?

Rocha? Who? Never heard of him. Blame Jules.

But here is what the OPM forgot to tell the Belizean people:

1. Rocha’s company logo appears on the proposed Dangriga Cruise Port project.

Legacy Holding’s branding appears as a partner in the project’s corporate marketing.

2. Miss Universe Belize publicly confirmed Rocha’s Belize connection.

A Miss Universe Belize promotional reel referenced his meeting with PM Briceño.

3. Belize’s government actively courted Mexican investors in energy and tourism — Rocha fit the profile.

Legacy Holding was marketed as:

• an energy conglomerate,
• aviation group,
• tourism investor,
• and tech partner.

Perfect for a Belize government desperate to announce foreign investment wins.

4. The Briceño Administration has never denied exploratory agreements.

Not one government spokesperson has stated:

• “No business deal exists with Rocha,”
• “No MOU was signed,” or
• “Belize has terminated all dealings with Legacy Holding.”

Which leads to the question on every mind:

If nothing existed… why panic?
Why lash out at the media?
Why issue threats?

**SECTION 3 — WHAT MEXICO IS NOW SAYING ABOUT ROCHA:

THE ALLEGED SMUGGLING CORRIDOR NEXT DOOR TO BELIZE**

This part is critical for Belizeans.

Mexico’s prosecutors claim Rocha finances or leads a criminal network operating across the Guatemala–Mexico border involving:

• fuel smuggling
• weapons trafficking
• drug transport

Their routes run along:

• Chiapas,
• Tabasco,
• the Usumacinta River,
• and into Guatemala.

This is the same frontier Belize depends on for intelligence, migration control, and regional security coordination.

And now Belize discovers that the man our Prime Minister invited into strategic business discussions was allegedly operating in the very zone our security forces monitor for drug and contraband flows.

**SECTION 4 — WHY THE OPM PRESS RELEASE BACKFIRED:

THE QUESTIONS THEY ACCIDENTALLY OPENED**

Instead of offering clarity, the OPM’s press release:

• insulted a journalist,
• brought up the father of the journalist — a man deceased for years,
• threatened legal action,
• and avoided the real issue entirely.
•  

This has now raised more public suspicion.

The questions Belizeans are now demanding answers to:

1. What exactly did Belize negotiate with Rocha in 2024–2025?

• Were draft agreements made?
• Were port, energy, or tourism concessions discussed?
• Was Legacy Holding evaluated for financial or criminal risk?

2. Did Belize’s security agencies — or friendly nations — ever flag Rocha?

Mexico, Guatemala, and the U.S. frequently share intelligence with Belize.

So:

• Did anyone warn Belize?
• If yes, why did the PM proceed?
• If not, why were our systems asleep?

3. How deeply is Rocha’s Legacy Holding embedded in the Dangriga or other port proposals?

• Are there Belizean partners shielding the connection?
• Are any political financiers involved?

4. Why did the OPM panic?

The reaction was not calm governance. It was political emergency mode.

5. If no deal exists, why not simply say so?

A four-word statement could end the matter:

“No agreement with Rocha exists.”

Yet the OPM has not said it.

Not once.

**SECTION 5 — THE LARGER DANGER:

WHEN SMALL COUNTRIES BECOME EASY TARGETS FOR “FOREIGN MAGNATES” **

Belize has a history of:

• Michael Ashcroft,
• the Sanctuary Belize scandal,
• “investor saviours” who vanish overnight,
• and governments dazzled by promises of foreign capital.

Raúl Rocha Cantú fits that pattern perfectly.

He arrived with:

• glamour (Miss Universe),
• political cover (Guatemala consulate),
• business prestige (Legacy Holding),
• and a PR machine.

But behind that, according to Mexican prosecutors, was a very different reality.

Small economies like Belize become soft targets for investors with:

• opaque finances,
• pending criminal probes,
• or geopolitical motives.

And when governments fail to vet them, nations pay a heavy price.

SECTION 6 — WHAT BELIZE MUST DEMAND NOW

1. Full disclosure from the Government:

• All meetings
• All investment proposals
• All letters of intent
• All communications with Legacy Holding
• All port/tourism proposals involving Rocha

2. Immediate suspension of any exploratory investment engagement with Legacy Holding

3. A National Investor Vetting Bill

Belize must have: mandatory due diligence,

• financial background checks,
• international criminal clearance,
• transparency on beneficial ownership.

4. A public investigation by the Senate (or National Assembly).

This issue is too large for Cabinet alone to police.

5. A new doctrine for foreign investment:

Belize must stop chasing personalities
and start prioritizing institutions.

**CONCLUSION:

BELIZE MUST NEVER AGAIN BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD**

The Rocha scandal is not a “media attack.”
It is not “yellow journalism.”
It is not “hysteria.”

It is a wake-up call.

Belize cannot build its development future on the promises of men whose global reputations collapse with a single indictment.

The Belizean people deserve to know:

• Who their Prime Minister met with,
• Why the meeting happened,
• What was promised or proposed,
• And what dangers Belize avoided — or did not avoid.
•  

The Rocha affair is not about Jules Vasquez.

It is about Belize’s national security,
Belize’s investment integrity,
Belize’s international credibility,
and the transparency of the Briceño Administration.

National Perspective Belize will continue digging.

Because when governments panic,
journalists must investigate.
When press releases deflect,
the truth must be published.

And when foreign magnates come calling,
Belize must protect itself —
before the next scandal arrives wearing a suit and a smile.