Guatemalans Want Western Border to Reopen

John Briceño

Cabinet approved the reopening of maritime borders for yachting tourism. The reopening does come with conditions including adherence to public health safety protocols, which means that crew and passengers must present a negative COVID-19 test to enter Belize.  Port Commissioner Retired Major Gilbert Swaso says that the reopening of the maritime borders for tourism requires efficient, safe boarding and vessel clearance practices.  While that’s one more border entry point that the country has opened, the Guatemalans in Melchor de Mencos are calling for the Belizean government to reopen the western border.  Like Chetumal, Melchor relies heavily on Belizeans for their economy.  The Guatemalans in the border community are planning a protest on Monday. When asked about the timeline for reopening land borders, Prime Minister John Briceño says it won’t happen until vaccines are acquired.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I could appreciate the political pressure that he finds himself with and hopefully it makes him understand just like our friends in Mexico, in Chetumal, how important we are to their economy but the reality is that we just cannot be travelling freely right now because of COVID and until we have that fully under control I don’t see us opening up the border just freely so that people can come in and out as they wish. I wish the people from Melchor de Mencos well you know I understand the political pressures there may be but we are a sovereign country and we are going to do what we believe is in the best interest of Belize at this time because COVID is still not under control. It is not in the interest of the country to open up our borders, for people to be moving in and out and the land borders that’s why we did the airport but we made sure that we have some serious controls as to how you come in and leave; as you come in, they test you to ensure that we can control COVID as best as we possibly can until we can get the vaccines into the country.”