It has been 90 days since investigators launched the first official audit into the so-called “Mira Millions” procurement scandal that has rocked Belize’s Ministry of Defense, and the review has officially reached completion. But members of the public hoping for immediate transparency will need to wait months more to access the full results of the probe.
The investigation, led by Auditor General Maria Rodriguez, focused on suspicious and non-compliant procurement practices that occurred during the tenures of former Defense Ministers Florencio Marin Jr. and Oscar Mira. Both politicians have already been removed from their Cabinet positions pending the outcome of the audit. Before Rodriguez can submit her preliminary findings to government leadership next week, she is scheduled to hold a closing exit meeting with Francis Usher, the chief executive officer for the relevant government portfolio.
While a preliminary report is expected as early as this October 2026, Prime Minister John Briceño confirmed that the full, finalized audit report will not be delivered to government until as late as February 2027. In a press question-and-answer session with reporter Isani Cayetano, Briceño clarified that his administration has not yet received any formal documentation from the Auditor General’s office, noting that leadership was notified the preliminary assessment would land this month, with final completion pushed to the end of Q1 2027.
During the session, Cayetano pressed Briceño on the future of Oscar Mira, who previously led the Ministry of Home Affairs before being sidelined alongside Marin, and asked about the performance of current Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat, who stepped into the role to lead reforms in the sector. Briceño offered high praise for Espat’s work in the role, noting that the architect-turned-politician has brought renewed energy and a results-first approach to the department, which oversees the national police force.
“Minister Espat has been doing a good job. He has brought in renewed energy,” Briceño stated. “He has an ability to go in and identify processes that are not working, and push to get things done effectively. With his background as an architect, he is a strong manager, and we have already seen a lot of improvements in the police department under his leadership.”
Briceño acknowledged that Mira also delivered solid performance during his time leading the Home Affairs Ministry, but emphasized that the sector needed a fresh approach to implement wide-ranging changes. When pressed on Mira’s long-term political future, the Prime Minister emphasized that all decisions will be put on hold until the full audit findings are released. “Before I could answer on Oscar Mira, I think we just need to wait for the report,” Briceño added.
This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television news broadcast, with Kriol language dialogue transcribed according to standard regional spelling conventions.