Minister Ramon Cervantes denies involvement in contracts linked to his cousin

Minister of State Ramon Cervantes is denying any involvement in government contracts awarded to a company operated by members of his extended family.  The issue has come into focus following reports that J and J Imports, a company registered in 2022 and linked to Enrique Javier Requena and his son Jamir Requena of Orange Walk, received millions of dollars in business supplying rations to the Belize Defence Force.  According to information being circulated from SmartStream payment records, J and J Imports received approximately three million dollars during the 2023-2024 financial year, accounting for about twenty-four percent of BDF ration supplies during that period. The company has been identified as one of the major suppliers in the records reviewed.  But Cervantes says he had absolutely no role in securing, managing or influencing any government contracts involving his cousin’s business. He maintains that the company’s dealings with the 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 supply arrangement. They are the 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 supply your constituency with pantry or any grocery bags ? 

Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology:  “No, they don’t.”

Reporter:  Did you speak to Minister Marin to give them a boost with the supply 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 relatives in Requenas. Was the company established to benefit the BDF supply contracts? 

Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology:  “I don’t know.”

Reporter:  We are told that you are being considered to be assigned the defense portfolio, but the Prime Minister decided against it because of your connection to J&J imports which is a top supplier 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 reports have also drawn attention to a series of nine invoices processed on a single day in 2025, each valued at nine thousand, nine hundred and twelve dollars and fifty cents. That figure falls just below the ten-thousand-dollar threshold that can trigger additional procurement requirements.