Belize: A Tropical Paradise In Peril

Belize is currently bracing for the impact of Hurricane Beryl, which is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to the region. The Prime Minister has addressed the nation, urging residents in the northern districts and cayes to prepare for the storm. In other news, Belize recently reaffirmed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan during a visit from President Tsai. Belize has also been facing issues with gang and drug-related violence, particularly in Southside Belize City, and has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world. The country also faces territorial disputes with Guatemala and Honduras.

Tropical Storm Beryl approaches Belize

Hurricane Beryl, the first major hurricane of the 2024 season, threatens Belize as it barrels through the Caribbean.

As of Monday, July 1, Hurricane Beryl was a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph, expected to maintain its major hurricane status as it moves through the Caribbean Sea. Belize, along with Jamaica and parts of Mexico, falls within Beryl's cone of uncertainty, meaning the storm's exact path remains uncertain.

The National Meteorological Service has issued a tropical storm warning for Belize, with the storm expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to the country. Prime Minister [NAME] has addressed the nation, urging residents in the northern districts and cayes to brace for heavy winds, rainfall, and potential storm surges.

The path of destruction

Beryl crossed a portion of the Windward Islands as an intense Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph on Monday. It then strengthened to Category 5 status with sustained winds of 165 mph before making landfall on Carriacou Island. The storm blew past the Cayman Islands and Jamaica earlier in the week, tearing through the Caribbean and strengthening at times to a Category 5 hurricane.

Preparing for the storm

Belize residents have not wasted time in preparing, especially in the more vulnerable areas. Voluntary evacuations have already started in San Pedro Town, with residents rushing to get off the island. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) is also preparing, working closely with other emergency services, which are all on standby.

A wake-up call for the season

The Chief Meteorological Officer has advised that even if Beryl skirts Belize, it should serve as a wake-up call for the active season with a volatile climate for major storms. With the months of September and October typically being the most affected, the early arrival of Beryl could indicate a very active 2024 Atlantic basin hurricane season.

Belize rejects Rwanda-style asylum deal with the UK

Belize has rejected the idea of a Rwanda-style asylum deal with the UK, calling the proposal "inhumane" and "offensive". The UK had reportedly been considering several countries, including Paraguay, Peru, and Belize, as potential destinations for unwanted asylum seekers arriving via the English Channel.

Belize's Foreign Minister, Eamon Courtenay, took to Twitter to deny that the country was in negotiations with Britain to become an offshore processing site for asylum seekers. He stated that Belize would not agree to accept exported migrants, as it was inhumane and contrary to international law.

The UK's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has faced significant backlash and legal challenges. The scheme was first proposed in April 2022 and would see people identified as illegal immigrants or asylum seekers relocated to Rwanda for processing, asylum, and resettlement. While the UK government argued that it would deter people from making dangerous crossings and disrupt people-smuggling, critics called it "inhumane" and "unethical".

The plan was initially halted by legal challenges and later ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which found that there was a real risk of deported refugees being wrongly assessed or returned to their country of origin. The UK government responded by introducing the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, which declared Rwanda a safe country, but the scheme was ultimately deemed "dead" after the Labour Party won the 2024 general election.

Belize reaffirms Taiwan ties during Tsai visit

Belize has reaffirmed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan, as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen travelled across Central America to strengthen ties with the country, one of Taiwan's few remaining allies.

Belize's Prime Minister Johnny Briceno, in a speech before the country's National Assembly, said:

> Together we can promote our shared values like democracy, the right of the people to self-determination and respect for international law.

Belize's commitment to Taiwan comes after Honduras cut diplomatic ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing. This move was potentially influenced by a $300 million hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras, built by a Chinese company.

Tsai's visit to Belize was part of a three-day official trip, during which she inspected a sheep and goat project supported by the Taiwan Technical Mission in Cayo, Belize.

In response to China's growing influence in the region, Briceno listed several development projects funded by Taiwan, including farming programs and funds to build key infrastructure like hospitals. He also thanked Taipei for scholarships and a $16.5 million grant to build a hospital in the island town and tourist hub of San Pedro.

Tsai spoke of "expansionist threats from authoritarian regimes" and the "constant threats from the neighbour on the other side of the Taiwan Straits", referring to China.

Belize's national football team held by gunmen in Haiti

On March 22, 2021, Belize's national football team, also known as the Jaguars, were held at gunpoint by an armed gang in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. The team was in Haiti for a World Cup 2022 qualifier, slated for March 25, 2021, as part of the first round of CONCACAF games for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The team was travelling from the airport to their hotel when they were stopped by the gang, despite being escorted by four policemen. The police escorts negotiated with the gang for the team's release, and the footballers were eventually allowed to continue to their hotel.

The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) released a statement, expressing their disappointment and disgust at the incident. They also confirmed that no one was hurt during the encounter. The FFB further stated that they were in contact with FIFA and CONCACAF to relocate the team to a safer area.

Belize's co-captain, Deon McCauley, described the incident as "a moment of intense fear." Haiti, at the time, was experiencing an economic and political crisis, with a surge in kidnappings for ransom. The country had been under a state of emergency since March 18, 2021.

Belize faces territorial disputes with Guatemala and Honduras

Belize has faced territorial disputes with its neighbours Guatemala and Honduras. The roots of the dispute with Guatemala go back to the 17th century when British settlers came to the coasts of Central America to cut logwood. The Spanish Crown considered these settlers to be pirates, and the British Crown initially did nothing to protect them. In 1763, Spain, as part of the Treaty of Paris, gave these settlers, known as "Baymen", the right to cut logwood within a small area that remained subject to Spanish sovereignty. The treaties of Versailles in 1783 and the Anglo-Spanish Convention in 1786 extended these rights, with the latter treaty allowing the Baymen to settle in the nearby St. George's Caye.

In the late 1600s and throughout the 1700s, Britain and Spain signed several treaties regarding territories in the Americas, agreeing that modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, though British settlers could use the land for specific purposes. The area was never fully under British or Spanish rule at this time, and British settlers continually expanded beyond the boundaries set by the treaties. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed that it inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory. Since its independence, Guatemala has claimed, in whole or in part, the territory of Belize.

In 1859, Britain and Guatemala signed the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which defined the borders of Belize from the Rio Hondo to Sarstoon and established the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. The treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road, though it was never built. In 1931, Britain and Guatemala exchanged letters, with Guatemala officially accepting the border monuments as marking the boundaries established in the 1859 Treaty.

In 1946, Guatemala officially tried to declare the 1859 Treaty null and void, claiming that it was a treaty of cession and that because Britain violated it, they were supposed to get their land back. Britain suggested going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the dispute, but Guatemala rejected this idea. In 1945, the new Guatemalan constitution declared Belize part of Guatemalan territory.

In 1976, Guatemala's "string of victories over leftist guerillas" led some in the government to suggest that they should "cash in on that momentum by taking over Belize". However, an earthquake struck Guatemala's capital, Guatemala City, in 1976, putting these plans on hold. Later, in 1981, Belize officially declared independence from the United Kingdom, though the persistent threat posed by Guatemala delayed this independence.

In 1994, three years after Guatemala recognised Belizean independence, most British troops left Belize. The British maintained a training presence until 2011, when the last British forces, except for advisers, departed. In 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America, reasserting its claim to Belizean territory.

In 2008, Belize and Guatemala made a pact to hold simultaneous referendums to decide whether to send the issue to the ICJ. The referendums passed in both countries by May 2019. As of June 2022, both countries are settling the dispute at the ICJ, with both sides having submitted their initial briefs. The court is not expected to rule until 2025 at the earliest.

Guatemala also has territorial disputes with Honduras. In 2006, Guatemala and Belize agreed to negotiations, arranged by the Organization of American States (OAS), on settling their claims to a maritime area that is part of a boundary dispute. In 2008, the two countries signed a Special Agreement to submit Guatemala's territorial claims to the ICJ, subject to the approval of the citizens in both countries.

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