7 Belizeans in Detention Centers After Trying to Go “Tru Di Back”

Oscar Arnold

Speaking of Belizeans heading north into Mexico, recently there was a group of Belizeans, including some notorious figures, sent back to Belize after they were trying to illegally transit Mexico to get to the U.S.  Reports are that quite a few alleged gang members are now living in the United States having taken a similar route.  And while this is part of a larger regional irregular migrant flow, Ambassador Oscar Arnold says that currently there are seven Belizeans in detention centers in Mexico, awaiting repatriation.

Oscar Arnold, Belizean Ambassador to Mexico

“That’s another item that has been a hot topic issue. We do have a few Belizeans still in detention centers awaiting repatriation back to the country. But what has happened in the more global context is that migration and irregular migration has become a huge issue for the region with all the migrants coming from the south – South America, Central America and trying to get northwards. There has been increased surveillance and vigilance on the Guatemalan/Mexican border and what we have seen over the past few months is that these individuals and the people who are making money off these individuals to try to get them northwards are looking for other routes and Belize, lamentably, has become one of those routes to try to bring people through. And so what we’ve seen, especially on this side of the border is that the Mexicans have put up strategic checkpoints in different areas around these routes to check for documentation to check for illegal immigrants. And so that is the web that has been catching or identifying these individuals. And so it is not as easy and there may be a few people who slip through, but they have a great surveillance system in identifying and tracking and checking to make sure that these people don’t get further northwards.”

Ambassador Arnold says those detained are awaiting verification of their passports or social security documents. After that information is received from Belmopan, Mexican authorities will be notified and the repatriation process then begins.