If you want to follow this blog in an intelligent fashion, you will need some background information. I could regurgitate this information for your benefit, but then, you would have to take my word for it, and since I am a fugitive in a tiny Central American country and have been sought as “a person of interest” in a murder, you might have some doubts concerning my veracity. So…. Take a few moments and familiarize yourself with the following stories. I wrote none of them. A failure to follow my advice will, with absolute certainty, lead to a disconnect between what is happening in reality down here and what will be happening to the visualizations in your head about what’s happening down here.
I’ll wait while you read…………………………………….
Belize Prime Minister sends his army to prevent the rightful owners of Belize Telecommunications from reclaiming their property – defying Supreme Court order:
http://www.flashpointbelize.com/flashpointarticles/tabid/103/EntryId/141/Ashcroft-Barrow-Detente.aspx.
(scroll down and click on “Ashcroft Barrow Detente)
The Prime Minister’s nationalization of the electricity company:
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/06/22/belize-lights-dimming-on-economic-freedom/
Trial by jury removed as a right. Government can try anyone by choosing a single judge, chosen by the PM and loyal to the political party. One person then decides guilt or innocence of accused people and decides appropriate punishment:
http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=19638/
-or- (read one or the other, or both if you’re so inclined)
http://www.belizetimes.bz/2011/08/05/no-9th-amendment/
Preventive detention – arresting someone without charges being filed: Now you can be arrested and held for four days without any charges, just the whim of the PM:
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/58725
The remainder of the links lay out the abuses of the Gang Suppression Unit – the paramilitary force that raided my compound in April. The force was formed to allegedly fight gangs but has been used instead to intimidate or remove enemies of the Prime Minister. Pick three or four at random and read them. That should be enough.
http://www.belizetimes.bz/2011/09/02/gsu-ignites-murder-mayhem/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_Suppression_Unit
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/69708
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/68389
http://www.belizetimes.bz/2011/07/07/pup-will-disband-chancy-gsu/
http://avatar.cnn.com/docs/DOC-785034
http://ourbelize.net/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2597unning
I am running out of time again. I’m sorry these missives have to be so short.
When I come back I will talk a little more about the press – specifically Joel Johnson who claims he absconded with my “private diary” from a “private website” and published it on Gizmodo. His rationale was “moral imperative”. I emailed Joel and asked whether moral imperative shouldn’t dictate that he send the money he received from Gizmodo to me. After all, it was my effort, my photos, my time, my words. Shouldn’t I get the money? He did not respond.
Again, dear readers, please do your homework. If you do, the following of this blog will be more entertaining and your identification with the author will be close enough that you can feel the events as if they were happening to you.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Three of my friends are still being held in prison on trumped up charges. They are:
Eddie Ancona
Cassian Chavarria
William Mulligan
They were charged and have been imprisoned because three legally licensed firearms were found in the incorrect rooms on my property (stretching the law to the extreme). I would ask you to please email the following and demand their release:
26 responses to “Background”
I’m totally loving this story. I’m sure like many others, I am rooting for you John! Don’t know what the fuck you’re gonna do, but I’ll stay tuned. I use to go all over Africa diamond dealing. Many things in your blog have brought me back in time when I would search for more of that “feeling”. Something you’re always left chasing… It gets people like you and I up shits creek it does, we are too inquisitive for our own good. Once again, I hope you make it out of this. I’ve got a house in Galveston – pull up in your boat ill hide you!
the gang members now make up the GSU, that would make more sense.
John, I totally believe you, I now live in Lake co. Fla. Sounds like this is Belize, same actions by our law “enforcement”. They allowed squatters to live in my properties, told me they victims, not I. I found that one house for sure was being used as meth lab, controlled by this countys sheriffs department. Told me I a nuiscence caller, when there was ppl in my barn, stole my late husbands rvs,truck, new car, our pontoons, chainsaws….etc. They said I trouble maker…. I need your help too!!Il I do not belong out here in swamp. These ppl are freaks, zero class, ask for sex same day as I husband died!! I am reclouse, I am too scared to venture out, if I do I get across the bridge, different co. and go to beachside to shop if needed. I believe you John!!! Belize and Lake co. fl,. same thing, huh…..?? peace and love bro..xxoo
Unthinkable that these barbaric crimes and corruption could be occuring in modern world. John you are doing a great service to the world to bring this out into the open. Its already making a difference. There is a couple sites that are mentioning Belize is now concerned about property values and tourism. The more public this becomes, the more safety for John (IMHO). The Belizian autho
I am sending the links to this page to every website with McAfee reports. For anyone doing the same, I found that the easiest way to get people directly to this page is to use this link: https://www.whoismcafee.com/30/#comments
It would be easy for anyone reading this, to forward that link to the news, politicians, friends, etc. The media could be focusing on the truth by reporting the real issues Belize is facing as stated in these reliable sources, instead of wasting valuable air time creating a spin on John McAfee that has been so distorted. John is one of the kindest, smartest, most brilliant and caring persons I ever met. And he has the right to confront people who are ill intended toward him. With the damage Belize GSU has already caused him, it makes total sense why John would respond in the way he has. Anyone criticizing and judging him, just needs to do their research. Seek understanding, not judgment. Truth is freedom. Love heals. Love to all.
John,
I admire your resolve. I lived in Belize and El Salvador for the better part of the nineties but was finally bled dry to the point that I packed up my Belizean/Salvadoran wife and four kids and brought them to Canada. Would have loved to stay and right the wrongs but alas the funds dried up. Been broke ever since.
You have every justification in distrusting Dean Barrow. He is NOT an honourable man. Never has been and likely never will be. There is no legitimate reason he should be the Prime Minister of Belize. In fact if the voter base was legitimate he wouldn’t be. Lot’s of newly minted Belizeans felt obligated to put an “X” on the ballot beside his name.
Then there’s the GSU. Why they aren’t incarcerated in Hattieville is not so much a mystery as it is a travesty. I nearly lost my niece Illiana, her daughter Jasmin and her common law husband, Mike Menjivar to these trigger happy goons. It was by pure blind luck alone that my mother-in-law wasn’t there when these thugs showed up in the middle of the night, shot the dogs and sprayed the house, both inside and out, with automatic gunfire. She usually cared for Jasmin but just happened to be visiting a son in San Ignacio on the fateful night.
It amazes me that no GSU or innocent bystanders were killed or maimed by errant crossfire. Poor aim – sheer luck – divine intervention – who the hell knows for sure.
John, you are completely justified in your paranoia concerning the GSU. These thugs don’t play by the rules and they only answer to the one person that is unwavering in his justification for their existence, namely Prime Minister Dean Barrow. You have first hand experience with Dean Barrow’s Goon Squad Unit so you would know.
There are many that comment here that would imply, if they don’t outright say so, that you are being overly paranoid. Quite frankly I find you amazingly composed considering the circumstances. I would likely still be in Belize if I hadn’t have run out of money because I tend to get a bit righteous when I witness injustice. I completely understand and empathize with your stand.
When Mike and Illiana had their house shot up I did everything I could with the resources I had to enlighten everyone I could possibly think of about the corruption and injustice rampant in Belize. It’s sad that your neighbour Greg ended up being a homicide victim but hopefully there’s a silver lining to the dark clouds hanging over present day Belize. Maybe now the Belizean people will start firing off some tough questions to their Prime Minister and maybe the rest of the world will finally know the truth about serious corruption and injustice that’s completely missing from travel blogs, brochures and advertisements.
In any case I wish you all the luck in the world. You’ll likely need a little to supplement your financial resources. Be thankful for your health and the companionship of the lovely ladies of Belize (been happily married to one seventeen years younger than me for the last eighteen years), keep your chin up and right some wrongs.
Dan
Who funds the Belizean governent? Google put satellites into space, I’m sure some decent silicon valley startup (or kickstarter campain) can topple them, set things right, bring justice to those they have harmed.
As an ex-pat living in Jamaica for many years, be careful not to be too antagonistic. I am very sorry about the situation you are in. Sometimes Paradise equals [everything the articles you have pointed out] in the majority of places in the Caribbean and Central America, as far as the police and political leaders. I lived in Jamaica during the 1970’s when Seaga and Manley were running for office, crazy times. And it is still a crazy place, the police kill innocent people, rich ex-pat hotel owners get murdered, witnesses to violent crime get killed so they can’t testify.
Just be careful …. about each and every thing you write. Good luck to you. And, in my humble opinion, I wouldn’t post too many pictures of the girl Samantha, that might possibly put her in danger at some point in her life. And Samantha, your story was touching.
I’ve been following your story for a long time John. Best of luck to you my friend! I can’t wait to read through all this!
Be safe and God Bless you.
I really, really hope that you leave, because if they can manufacture evidence or coerce witnesses, then there is no choice. So many people are offering to get you out. Please accept one of them!
I totally agree. Knowing how excessive & dangerous the GSU can be, after the first raid, you should have made plans to leave. What about talking to the U.S. Embassy about working out conditions for your agreeing to meet with the police for questioning? Such as who will be present, that you not be detained after the questioning. The only evidence that would be necessary for detainment, would be if they have a gun either with your fingerprints or registered to you, that matches the ballistics of the Luger 9 mm bullet used in the murder. You have stated that you don’t own a Luger…or that you did, but it was confiscated in the raid, however no mention of it or photos were released of one having been confiscated.
Please talk to the Embassy& try to work out conditions signed by PM Barrow or whomever you are comfortable with, in order to end this. The longer it continues, the fewer options you have. It does seem that the GSU has a habit of shooting & killing dogs & far worse, so get out of there or set some conditions both with the Embassy & with your attorney. The ball is still in your court, but your options are dwindling every hour. Or escape to Brazil, where you can’t be extradited & try to work out a deal to recover your property & return to Belize, if you love it that much. Why, I cannot imagine, with all of the problems. I’d take the first option. Good luck.
As far as limelight.ru is concerned, if the hundreds of posts you submitted were just another one of your pranks, you have finally become the victim of your own joke, because it is wreaking havoc on your reputation & credibility at a time when both are so badly needed. Maybe you’ll learn a valuable lesson from this, but it seems that you led many people into potentially dangerous, even life threatening situations, to manufacture a substance all for your own amusement. That in itself is rather cruel in my opinion. Whether true or false, neither puts you in a particularly good light right now.
The GSU was formed in response to the citizen’s cries for help with the gang-related violence. The gang-related violence stems from the influx & outflow of drugs. Drugs introduce an atmosphere of crime, money, power, & corruption, which infiltrate every level of society,Iincluding the police force & the government. Criminals get off throughplayoffs, crime continues to escalate, the GSU (backedby the CIA/DEA) exerts force, sometimes excessively, & the country continues to suffer. I guess it does get to three-point where you can no longer trust anyone.
Yo Brother, you better get your ass off that island, put in your back bocket and get
Home, sounds like their going to lock your ass up a long, long time!! Good luck, I’ll pray for you!!!!
I don’t understand why you are staying there either. ”It’s my home” isn’t justification enough if you are under such a level of threat. There are a lot of other beautiful countries. Life is short, John, especially when you aren’t 25 anymore. Do you really want to spend your last years fighthing this, possibly jailed? What’s the point?
I am fine babe. You will be too.
Sending good vibes your way A. Hang in there.
I am sorry for what your going through…. It’s real fucked up buddy…… I do miss you:( I really hope all this gets resolved. I hope your eating and drinking water. Everytime I write a word I go in tears. John be safe
Me
Hello,
If the posts and pictures were, in fact, written by you, than it seems they should be copyrighted by you, at least under American law, as I understand such things. If that is the case, you should be able to issue a DMCA takedown notice against the websites publishing the material in violation of your copyright.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky
John,
I highly recommend you get on a boat and get out of Dodge – live to fight another day. You won’t be able to accomplish anything locked away in a cell in a 4th world country, and they will throw away the key.
Well, I have to say that I felt you were probably guilty having read initial reports, but going through these articles makes me wonder if the GSU didn’t kill your dogs and then kill Faull to set the stage for what’s going on now.
This link is broken – http://jewelenews.com/?p=52 not that it matters. There’s enough material there without it.
Good luck. I know you said it’s your home, but living in a place where the GSU may eventually take over the police, it seems crazy to remain there. Things are only going to get worse. Especially for you.
Ha ha! Of course John! Full permission given my friend.
I just didn’t like the way that [Lev] leaked them.. Take care!
May I use them in this blog my friend?
Slight correction.. a good deal of those photos were mine. I gave them to John to use in his essays. I didn’t like the way everything was leaked either, and I requested that he not use future photos I had taken.
TECHNICALLY a number of those photos were snapped by Cartoonmonkey — I mention this not because I think he should receive compensation, but because I think they are great photos, and I like seeing him get credit for them. 🙂
I do think that that the Joel Johnson story is yet another cautionary tale for the rest of us. Remember, ladies and gentlemen, that there is no such thing as a “private website.” Privacy is only guaranteed by the scruples of board (bored?) participants, and humans are TERRIBLE at keeping secrets.
This is definitely a different perspective. Good luck
You’re funny.