A social media dispute that began with the death of a doctor has spiralled into a series of allegations against the family of Belmopan Area Representative and Minister of Home Affairs Oscar Mira, with leaked documents purportedly showing millions of dollars in government contracts awarded to his relatives.
The chain of events began on May 29, when former UDP Chairman Alberto August made a post on Facebook related to the death of a doctor from Mira’s constituency. Mira subsequently filed a cyberbullying complaint, leading to August’s arrest and a two-day detention. John Saldivar, former UDP area representative, came to August’s defence online and, a couple days later, began publishing leaked documents on his own Facebook page.
In a June 3 post, Saldivar alleged that a family member to the minister had received payments for vegetables supplied to government ministries, including the Belize Defence Force, the Coast Guard, and the Belize Police Department. He accompanied these claims with photos of these purported transactions. Saldivar wrote on the 4th, “apparently, if you are not a member of the Mira clan or connected to it, you don’t qualify for any contract.”
The leaked Smartstream records, which News 5 has obtained, show approximately $1.7 million in payments to Jenny Armstrong, Mira’s sister, between 2020 and 2025. The records raise concerns about procurement practices and the possible use of split invoices to avoid Ministry of Finance oversight. Under government rules, payments over $10,000 require the Finance Ministry’s approval, while smaller invoices do not.
One invoice shows that on September 14, 2023, twelve invoices totaling $103,237.58 were approved, each kept below the $10,000 threshold. Of 497 transactions reviewed, only four exceeded the limit. In one case, a payment of $18,109.27 was cancelled and replaced two days later with two separate invoices of $9,270.77 and $8,838.49, matching the original total but avoiding higher-level approval.
In response, Ministry of National Defence CEO Francis Usher says the allegations lack key context. He explains that when he assumed office last March, the tender process for food supplies was already underway, but later found to contain irregularities, including bidding rules that allowed suppliers to bid by item instead of by lot. The process was therefore cancelled and restarted.
Usher says that during the reset, the Belize Defence Force still required food supplies, including vegetables, and purchases were made from Jenny Armstrong to maintain operational needs. He maintains these were temporary arrangements while procurement procedures were being corrected.
He adds that the revised tender results have now been submitted to the Ministry of Finance for approval, after which they will proceed to the Contractor General.
The allegations have circulated widely on social media, generating public discussion about government contracting and nepotism. However, no government agency has publicly confirmed any wrongdoing, and no formal investigation has been announced.
Minister Mira has responded once on Facebook, stating that his record of service in Belmopan speaks for itself. He said residents have supported him “based on results, not talk,” citing infrastructure, health, education, and housing improvements. Mira dismissed the allegations as “lies and misinformation” and described Saldivar as a “failed politician” with a record of corruption.
Mira did not directly address the specific claims raised in the leaked documents and has not responded to media requests for comment.
