B.D.F. to Dismantle Illegal Guatemalan Settlement in Western Belize

While we engaged with the B.D.F Chief of Staff, we spoke about other topics of concern – one of which involves the proposed dismantling of an illegal Guatemalan Settlement called Barrio El Juda in the Adjacency Zone on Belizean territory along the western border. The officer described the issue as a conundrum that has to involve consultations with several entities.

Jermaine Burns

Lt. Col. Jermaine Burns, Chief of Staff, B.D.F.

“We have a meet tomorrow with the O.A.S. and our Guatemalan counterparts and I’m sure Barrio will be discussed. In order for us to destroy or dismantle any structures anywhere in the A.Z. (Adjacency Zone), it has to be a joint operation between the Guatemalans, ourselves and the O.A.S. witnessing. The authority to dismantle structures in that area, if it is the specific structures that I’m thinking of, has not yet been gotten from the Ministry. Until we get that we will be able to dismantle. There are small clearings that had these structures going up. Some were thatch initially; some were just wooden structures that had started; there was a bit of farming; fencing that was halted. The order has been given to cease the continued construction, so there’s no other construction there and there are periodic or daily patrols from the Xunantunich check point going into Barrio El Juda, which is just about twenty minutes patrol to reach the actual border area.”