OW South Area Rep Concerned about Narco Activities in North

Jose Abelardo Mai

We’ve reported earlier this month on the increasing narco activity in the northern part of the country. Criminal organizations from Mexico are coming further south, threatening to enter into Belizean territory. And so, recently, the Briceño administration went to parliament for a supplementary budget to counter narco activities in the north.  Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai was asked to comment on this, since several of the villages in his division border with Mexico. Here’s what he had to say.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Area Representative, Orange Walk South

“I won’t say that my constituency has been…I don’t remember the last time something happened that is linked to the narcos, so to speak. If they want to refer to plane landing, I think more planes have landed in southern Belize in the last two three years than in the north. We share long distances border. Our problem is more the contraband of Mexican goods into Belize and not narcos to say. I understand that in Corozal there have been signs of organized crimes from Mexican influencing the Belizean side. The prime minister and the Minister of National Security, Home Affairs, in their view, believe it is necessary to step up to the game and to increase funding. Of course, we don’t want this trickling over to Belize. And so the prime minister in his judgment believes that he should increase the budget and I have no problem with that; I support that too. Like I said in Orange Walk, my constituency, I have not seen any signs of it yet, but I understand nearby Corozal – San Victor, Douglas – there have been incidences of narco movements spilling over, Mexico to Belize, and that has to be controlled.”