Peaceful Protest Held in San Pedro Following Noralez Conviction

The family and supporters of former San Pedro High School (SPHS) teacher Alex Noralez held a peaceful protest in Central Park in downtown San Pedro on Wednesday, January 28th. The demonstration was organized to oppose Noralez’s conviction and sentencing in a sexual assault case involving high school students.
The gathering included members of the sporting community, current and former SPHS students, some teachers, and other island residents who believe the conviction was unjust.
During the protest, Noralez’s wife, Sylvia Noralez, along with their two children and other family members, addressed the crowd. Sylvia thanked those in attendance for their support and spoke about her husband’s work with youth on the island.
“I know who he is, the long hours he spent with the youth, and for years he has been entrusted with children,” she said. “He would be out there at 5AM, training young people in football. That is a sacrifice. He is accused of hugging, and that is sad.”
She added that Noralez also trained female teams in the evenings. “I believe in my husband, and I thank everyone who believes in him and is supporting us,” she said.
Noralez’s daughter, Vivian, also spoke, describing the emotional toll the case has taken on her family. “My dad is a very strong man, and I have never seen him broken, but I saw him crying,” she said. She alleged that efforts were made to damage his reputation and said that while her father’s voice was silenced, hers was not. Vivian thanked supporters for standing with her family and reiterated her belief in her father’s innocence.
At the end of the gathering, Vivian invited attendees to hug one another. The protest then continued with a walk through downtown.
The case against Noralez began in May 2024, when he was arraigned at the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court and charged with three counts of sexual assault. On January 21, 2026, he was convicted of two counts of sexual assault. Several days later, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Throughout the trial, Noralez maintained his innocence and told the court that he did not disrespect the students involved. On Wednesday afternoon, he was transported off the island to the mainland, where he is expected to serve his sentence at the Kolbe Foundation–Belize Central Prison.