The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has issued an updated travel warning after the Government of Belize declared a 30-day State of Emergency in parts of Belize City and the Belize District. This emergency declaration, effective from May 12 to May 13, responds to a surge in gang-related violence that has significantly impacted public safety.
Authorities granted expanded powers to law enforcement to restore order in the affected regions. The FCDO urges travelers and residents to avoid the specified areas and strictly follow local authorities’ guidance.
The State of Emergency covers both the Southside and Northside of Belize City, as well as certain parts of the Belize District. This measure follows a rapid escalation in violence over recent weeks. Incidents include ambushes, retaliatory shootings, and targeted attacks, highlighting the deteriorating security situation.
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Local journalist Paul Lopez detailed the recent violence: on May 5, prominent figures Hubert Baptist and Eric Frazer survived an ambush along Philip Goldson Highway. Days later, Jamal Samuels, aged 29, was killed in an alleged retaliatory attack. Also, a tragic incident involved a sixteen-year-old shooting a 34-year-old mother of three at a nearby bar.
These violent events exemplify the growing instability that compelled the Belizean government to implement this drastic but necessary security measure.