SP Captain Shark’s Veterans win big in Honduras

The San Pedro Captain Shark’s Veterans came back from a very successful away trip where they confronted two Honduran teams. From Thursday, May 26th to Monday, May 30th, the veterans were busy playing football in Puerto Cortez. The first game was against Equipo Municipalidad de Veterano de Puerto Cortez which ended in a 1-1 tie. The second game was against Municipalidad de Juveniles de Puerto Cortez, and this time, the San Pedro Veterans won BIG with a score of 4-1!

After such a successful showing, the team came back home and will be preparing to meet the Puerto Cortez for a sure-to-be exciting rematch on the island during the first weekend of July.

The San Pedro Veterans football club would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to the following businesses that helped them on their recent visit: Pete’s Enterprises, Area Representative Mr. Manuel Heredia, Captain Shark’s, Cholo’s, and San Pedro Water Jets [for the fare special given to the players].

Captain Raul Gonzalez promises to keep everyone updated as the days draw nearer for the rematch.

Presidents of Honduras and El Salvador arrive for SICA meeting

Honduran President Porfirio Lobo and El Salvador's President Carlos Mauricio Funes touched down on Ambergris Caye today on their way to the SICA conference being held at Coco Beach Resort.

A press conference is scheduled to take place later this afternoon, and details will be posted/printed after...

Fugitive Gabriel Salazar handed over to Belizean Police

Belizean fugitive Gabriel Salazar, who was wanted for murder and the Spanish Lookout Scotia Bank robbery, is in Police custody. Salazar, who is originally from San Pedro Town, was placed on a Maya Regional flight from Honduras to Belize and was escorted by immigration and police personnel on Wednesday October 13th.

Salazar was held in Honduras in protective custody to testify in the case against the police officers who shot him and his two accomplices, Benjamin Peters and Alexander Edwards. It is reported in the Prensa Libre Newspaper in Honduras that the three entered Honduras through the Aguas Caliente border station in Guatemala, where Honduran customs officials searched their bags and found guns. The newspaper reports explained that the three men were taken to the police station around 3:00am on Sunday, September 26th and were told that they would be transferred into the custody of the office of the Public Ministry. While they were being transferred, the police officers who were taking them allegedly stopped the vehicle at a place called El Sitio De La Union in the Copán district and ordered them out. The newspaper report further stated that they were made to lie down on the roadside, where they were instantly shot to the head. The officers drove away; leaving them for dead, but villagers of the area took them to a local hospital where the injured Salazar was the only one to survive and was held under protective custody.

Salazar was wanted for the March 30th armed robbery when four men entered the Spanish Lookout Branch of Scotia Bank in Belize and made off with over $300,000.00BZ. During the robbery a KBH security guard, 32 year old Steven Lopez was shot and killed. Salazar and his accomplices managed to evade Belizean enforcement agencies and ended up in Honduras.

Two Belizean Criminals Killed, One Wounded in Honduras

Alexander "Pinky" Edwards, deceased.

Gabriel Salazar, hospitalized.

Alex “Pinky” Edwards, Benjamin Peters (photo not available) and Gabriel Salazar are no strangers to the news. In fact, they were wanted in Belize for the Spanish Lookout March 13th Scotia Bank gun point robbery. The news today is that at least two of the men were killed and one remains hospitalized in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

The San Pedro Sun confirmed with the family of Alex Edwards living in San Pedro that he was killed in Honduras sometime before Monday, September 27 along with Benjamin Peters. Robert Villafranco, the uncle of Alex Edwards explained that funeral services for his nephew were held on Wednesday, September 29th at 4 PM in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Villafranco explained that the parents of Alex travelled to Honduras and identified the bodies to the Honduran authorities.

Villafranco nor the grandfather of Alex Edwards, Frank Edwards Sr. would say what were the circumstances that led to the death of their relatives, but reports to media in Belize is that they were involved in a highway bus robbery and were killed during a shoot out with authorities in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The relatives of Peters, who are from Santa Elena, Cayo are making arraignments to transport his body back to Belize for a funeral. Gabriel Salazar, as we understand, remains hospitalized in Honduras.

Police in Belize have not commented on the incident. Alex Edwards was also under investigation for the February 2009 triple murder in North Ambergris Caye.

Costa Maya sees Mario Mejia and Yerbaklan for Cultural Night!!

Friday Night for Costa Maya is a night of culture and music, and this Friday was no different as the stage welcomed the Ballet Folklorico de Quintana Roo's (Mexico) cultural dances, Belize's very own Nu Generation Dance Group as part of the entertainment before the main draws of the evening. Guatemala's Mario Mejia serenaded the crowd with a mix of both English and Spanish songs, including his very own originals.

Honduras' Yerbaklan duo of Csarec and Jimmy James definitely brought the hype on the stage afterwards with their very unique mix of music...and the girls of Costa Maya Pageant 2010 even got on stage to party with them....

It was definitely a variety of entertainment, and the crowd was enjoying it all!!

Saturday Night's Angel y Khriz will surely be another big draw for this year's Costa Maya Festival, and The San Pedro Sun will be on site to bring all the great pictures and news of the performance. See you there!!!!

Who do you think will be La Reina de la Costa Maya 2010?

Start calling The San Pedro Sun office at 226-2070 and tell us who you think will win the pageant on Thursday night, or leave your vote as a comment on this blog page. Be sure to leave your name, number and choice of contestant. At the end of the pageant, we will raffle the names of those who chose the winning delegate, and the winner will receive a framed, autographed photo with the new Miss Costa Maya 2010-2011!!!

TONIGHT...

Also on the agenda for tonight is the grand opening of Hidden Treasure restaurant at Coral Beach Hotel on Barrier Reef Drive.

Costa Maya Pageant Delegates Arrive!!

-Press Release-Costa Maya Festival Committee - July 30th, 2010 - The participants arriving today for the La Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant are Ms. El Salvador Diana Ingrid Martinez, Ms. Honduras Nicole Yaret Hawit, Ms. Mexico Priscilla Pastrana Lopez, Ms. Costa Rica Krysia Ortiz Campos, along with Ms. Belize Liliana Mia Nuñez, and the reigning La Reina de la Costa Maya Maritza Rivas. They are presently staying at Ramon’s Village Resort in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye which is our official hotel for the Costa Maya International Festival 2010.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, Ms. Panama, Ms. Guatemala and Ms. Nicaragua will not be arriving today. It has been confirmed that they will be arriving tomorrow morning to join the other participants in the week’s schedule leading up to the pageant on Thursday, August 5th, 2010.

Costa Maya Presents: Miss Honduras!!

This week, we present to you the final contestant for the International Reina de la Costa Maya pageant. Nicole Yaret Hawit is a 22-year-old, Honduran beauty who stands at 5’5”, measuring 34”-25”-34”. This brown eyed brunette holds a Bachelor’s in Tourism and enjoys exercising as a hobby.
Nicole is the last of the eight beauties who will grace the Costa Maya stage in San Pedro. The panel is complete; we have met delegates from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama and now, Honduras. At the end of the night, only one will be crowned by 2009-2010 Reina de la Costa Maya Maritza Rivas. Who will be our new beauty representative? You just have to be there for the grand moment when hostess Sandra Hoyos announces the winner!
Be on the lookout for the lovely ladies as they start arriving on the island on Friday, July 30th. For an even better chance to get to know the beauties, swing by the San Pedro Lions Club for Noche San Pedrana. For a mere $30, you can join the ladies at the club starting at 7:00pm on July 31st. Enjoy music, dinner and dancing into the night.

San Pedro Seadogs fall to Platense of Honduras

On Sunday, the Ambergris Stadium came alive when Belize’s San Pedro Seadog hosted Platense of Puerto Cortez Honduras. Amidst a large multitude, both teams stepped on the field ready to claim the big W. In the first half, the Seadogs was in control of the ball game. In fact, in the first few minutes, Seadogs blasted the Platense goalkeeper with a kick from outside the 18-yards box but the referee ruled that the ball did not cross the goal line.

Early in the second half however, Seadogs managed to capitalize on a play and scored the first goal of the ball game. But the glory was short-lived after Platense capitalized from a corner kick making it a 1 to 1 ball game. Later in the second half, Platense scored a second goal originating from a foul outside the 18-yards box.

Seadogs pulled out their best play and in the last few minutes of the game, they managed to blast Platense, shaking the net for a third time, but unfortunately the referee ruled that the goal was offside. At the end of the game, Platense won over Seadogs in a 2 to 1 ball game.

Congratulations to Platense Football Club on the big win and also to the Honduran community. According to our source the last time San Pedro Town witness an international football game was in the 1980’s when a Brazilian team was invited on the island.

Costa Maya confirms Yerbaklan from Honduras for Friday Night

Friday night’s lineup has just gotten even more exciting, as Honduras’ Yerbaklan will be on stage performing to your heart’s delight. They’ve been here before, but under a different name. Now, with a fusion of reggaeton and urban rhythms, Cesar Castaneda (Csarec) of San Pedro Sula, and Jaime Colindres (Jimmy James) of Tegucigalpa, are one of the most well-known duos in Honduras. Csarec and Jimmy James both dreamt of becoming artists/singers from a very young age, writing their own lyrics and making their own music. They eventually fused their styles and became what is now known as Yerbaklan.

They are influenced by such artists as UB 40, Boyz II Men, Vico C, El General, Shabakan and Nando Boom. They got their start in 2004 when they were included in a compilation called “Leyenda 2”. This production catapulted them via newspaper media, radio and television, both local and national. In 2005 they were recognized as “Duo of the Year”, and got top radio and television rotation with their hit “La Vaquerita”.

They even traveled and performed throughout Honduras, Guatemala and San Pedro, Belize for Costa Maya (2005). They have had the good fortune to be the opening performances for artists such as Calle 13, Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, Rakim y Ken-Y and Tito “El Bambino”. In 2008, they held a concert of their own in Honduras, and caught the attention of US record label “Xatruch Music”.

Their first album, called “Primera Clase” started production in 2009, and if their 2007 singles “Sexy Gial” and “Tu Amante” is anything to go by, Primera Clase is a guaranteed hit for this talented duo. And now, festival goers will be able to enjoy them in the flesh as they once again hit the stage, polished, primed and ready to blow you away. Be sure to catch the front row when Csarec and Jimmy James come on stage.

Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras devastated by Tropical Storm Agatha

June 1st is the beginning of Hurricane season, but Tropical Storm Agatha hit Central America early, as it has caused devastation and loss of lives in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras over the weekend. Above is an image of a giant sinkhole that was created by the extreme downpour of rain, and swallowed an entire 3-story building.

According to the Associated Press, the European Union has granted euro3 million ($3.65 million) in emergency aid for victims of Tropical Storm Agatha in Central America.
The storm has caused flooding and landslides that killed at least 150 people and made thousands homeless in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
The EU says the aid approved Tuesday will go toward buying food, water, first aid kits, sanitation supplies and emergency shelters for some 100,000 people.
EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva says "We will continue to monitor the situation closely, in case further needs arise."
More than 160,000 people in Central America have been evacuated from their homes.

Noche San Pedrana - What a Blast!!

The first of the many fun events for the Costa Maya Festival is definitely Noche San Pedrana. Hosted by the San Pedro Lions Club, this annual event is a night wherein the community at large gets to know the representatives from the various countries, mingle with them and in general have a grand old time.
This year was no different as the delegates got to once more enjoy the warm welcome that Belize is known for. With both a DJ and Rompe Raja Band kicking up the tunes, everyone who attended Noche San Pedrana had a great time. The festivities have begun, and they only get better each day!!
After a lovely dinner and some presentations, the lovely delegates presented the first ever fashion show, showcasing the items of Expressions Boutique, Mambo Chill, Letty's Fashions, MoonDancer Boutique and Sarai's Boutique.
The crowd got to dance and enjoy the company of the very lovely and friendly ladies as well...

Many more photos and video to come...stay tuned to The San Pedro Sun!!