Guatemalan police meet with Belizean counterparts

Immigration and customs violations are not the only concerns for law enforcement officials at Belize’s borders, nor are they the sole focus of officials on the other side, in neighboring countries. Today the Police Chief from Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala and the Sub-Commissioner for the department of the Peten paid a special visit to Belize. The Guatemalans say they already have outstanding relations with the Benque Viejo police under the command of Inspector Mark Flowers and wanted to meet with their counterparts in Belmopan and Belize City to further strengthen the bonds of cooperation. News Five spoke with Chief Jose Lem Gutierrez Cabrera and Commissioner Martin Alejandro Garcia about improvements they would like to see and what they hoped to achieve by crossing the border today.

Martin Alejandro Garcia, Sub-Commissioner, Dept. of Peten

“The criminal people, the people that commit those crimes they tend to laugh at authorities and sometimes they run from Melchor, the Guatemalan side, to the Belize side and vice versa. And that is why a group coordination between the police on both sides would be of great help. In 1999 I would like to strengthen that coordination between Belize police and Guatemalan police.”

Jose Lem Gutierrez, Chief, Melchor Police Department

“I would like to reinstate what my commissioner just said. I would like to thank you for all the good attention that we have received in coming to Belize. The motive is to strengthen the two police sides, the Guatemalan and Belize police sides, because it is like a family. We need each other to combat crime.”

The Commissioner and his deputy were accompanied by two other officers from Melchor and a secretary.