Earlier this year, the Financial Intelligence Unit and the Customs and Excise Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding which amended the law in respect of the declaration of currency in excess of ten thousand U.S. dollars. But in order for the Customs Department to enforce the new laws and procedures, the FIU today conducted training […]
On Tuesday night, the Belize Tourism Industry Association, in collaboration with the Belize Tourism Board and McNab Publishing unveiled the new theme for the 2016/2017 Destination Belize Magazine. “Travel Curious: This Journey Will Change You,” is expected to capture the unique cuisine, locations and cultural experiences of the country. The B.T.I.A. has been working on […]
The fatal shooting of a Guatemalan minor inside the Chiquibul has stirred a lot of emotions among Belizeans. There was unease across the country as Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales made his inflammatory statements followed by reports that thousands of Guatemalan troops were being deployed to the Sarstoon and along the adjacency zone in the west. […]
There is tragic news in the west at Santander, whose offices are headquartered in Guatemala. A twenty-four year old Guatemalan national was mangled around midday today by a harvester at the company’s cane fields in Valley of Peace. The field worker, Francisco Andres Antonio Sebastian, was part of several crews who were harvesting sugar cane. […]
The body of thirteen year old Julio Alvarado Ruano, who was killed inside the Chiquibul last Tuesday, was laid to rest over the weekend in his home village of La Rejoya. It’s a tragedy that has spurred increased aggression by the Guatemalan military along the adjacency zone and the Sarstoon River. According to B.D.F. Commander […]
And to close off our coverage of Belize/Guatemala relations tonight, we turn to the status of Ambassador Assad Shoman. P.U.P. leader John Briceño last week made the announcement that Senator Eamon Courtenay would continue as their lead representative to his advisory group of foreign ministers. Shoman might be gone from the P.U.P., but maybe he […]
There is an escalating crisis between Belize and Guatemala that is reaching tipping point. In recent days, Guatemala has adopted an aggressive stand against Belize especially in the Sarstoon where Belizean vessels are now required to get their permission to enter the Sarstoon. The death of a minor near Cebada in the Chiquibul on Wednesday […]
Guatemala earlier today issued a statement saying that ten Guatemalan civilians had been killed by Belizean troops. But there is also the murder of Danny Connorquie and the shooting of Sergeant Richard Lambey within Belize territory, which remains unresolved. While Belize has not placed responsibility at the hands of Guatemalans, everything points to them. According […]
As tensions continue to mount, the Prime Minister is meeting with high level officials from the United Nations, the O.A.S. and the international community. Here on the ground, the government is briefing the U.S., the U.K. and other allies. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “I am meeting with the deputy secretary general of the UN […]
Here in Belize City, the National Security Council met this afternoon at the Office of the Prime Minister in Belize City, following a meeting this morning between Minister of National Security John Saldivar and the senior command of Belize’s security forces. The Belize Defense Force, the Belize National Coast Guard, as well as the Belize […]
As the government of Guatemala becomes more aggressive, The People’s United Party has been swift in issuing a statement following an emergency executive meeting at Independence Hall. P.U.P. Leader John Briceño addressed the nation on the crisis along our borders. He called the troop build-up an irresponsible threat to peace and demanded that the kaibiles […]
As we said, the People’s United Party held an emergency meeting this morning in light of the amassing of troops in the Sarstoon as well as at the Adjacency Zone. The lead of the advisory group for the P.U.P. is Senator Eamon Courtenay, who is also a former Foreign Minister. Prior to that meeting, we […]
Senator Courtenay explains that once Guatemala moves its troops to exercise their so called sovereignty, it is a clear case of annexation which if left undone, becomes a permanent situation. Eamon Courtenay, Opposition Representative “When a country declares part of a territory of another country is there’s coupled with the actual exercise of sovereignty […]
Senator Eamon Courtenay, this morning expressed dismay at the O.A.S. pointing out that the organization is well aware of the plunder of Belize’s resources in the Chiquibul by Guatemalan nationals. He said that the circumstances deserve a stepping up of diplomatic work. Eamon Courtenay, Opposition Representative “In my experience, the O.A.S. does not issue […]
Aside from the Sarstoon, we headed to Benque which is the western town on the border with Guatemala. We witnessed Guatemalan children crossing the border to attend school in Belize. And while business has slowed down, the flow of traffic and people continued without incident. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has a report from Benque. […]
The government of Mexico has also issued a statement. Our neighbor to the north reiterates its support for the efforts of both countries to advance the solution to the dispute that maintain as well as its support for the initiatives that are implemented within the framework of the O.A.S. to promote measures of confidence building. […]
The P.U.P. leader told News Five on Thursday that Senator Eamon Courtenay continues as his chief representative on the advisory group to the Belize/Guatemala issue. Former Minister Assad Shoman has moved on. Now, Minister Elrington and Senator Courtenay have not always seen things eye to eye. Courtenay was this morning asked about the relationship with […]
The Organization of American States has issued a release on the fatal shooting of Guatemalan minor Julio Rene Alvarado, in the Chiquibul on Wednesday. The release states that, “the O.A.S. General Secretariat repudiates the death of a Guatemalan minor at the hands of a Belizean patrol and urges both sides to redouble efforts to establish […]
The Belize Territorial Volunteers will be heading to Sarstoon on Saturday, April thirtieth. Or will they? Maheia has been accused of provoking the Guatemalans, so he is certainly on the blacklist of both militaries. Brigadier-General David Jones, even before the current high alert, reiterated that civilians will be stopped and even if he hadn’t said […]
There is another recent case involving the destruction of Mayan sites, but in the south. Rupert Myles was detained in June of 2015, according to traditional Maya customs, for desecrating a mound within the Uxbenka Archaeological Site. Myles, despite warnings from Mayan leaders in the community, had constructed his wooden house atop a monument and […]
The shooting of the Guatemalan minor occurred in the Chiquibul, in an area which is known for illegal marijuana plantations. Ironically, on Wednesday Brigadier-General David Jones spoke to us about the ongoing B.D.F. patrols in the area to address the situation of illegal farming and marijuana cultivation. He couldn’t have known that just hours after […]
We also spoke to the general about the new state of affairs in the Sarstoon following the rejection of the protocols by Guatemala. Jones clarified that any understanding of non-interception would apply only to other military craft and not to civilians going into the Sarstoon. Keep in mind this interview was done on Wednesday, hours […]
Head of the Territorial Volunteers Wil Maheia attended the inauguration of the Forward Operating Base on Wednesday. He’s been a longtime advocate for a military presence in the Sarstoon, and his Belize Territorial Volunteers have led expeditions to the area since 2015. He told us that the base is good, but he’s not convinced yet […]
Following the murders of Gerald Shiny Tillett and Kadeem Castillo, at least two clubs—Dino’s Night Club and Thirsty Thursday—were reportedly closed down just after midnight on Saturday. Several businesses in the north and south sides of the city were also asked to close shop to prevent further violence. According to the regional commanders of Eastern […]
A Coast Guard Petty Officer Class Three is tonight recovering at the K.H.M.H. after he was injured at the Coast Guard’s Forward Operating Base in Consejo. From a very preliminary investigation into the incident, it appears that the officer was clearing his weapon when it accidentally discharged, injuring him on the hand and leg. The […]
