A severe land rights confrontation has erupted in Belize’s Cayo District, where local agriculturalists report escalating threats, gun violence, and forced eviction attempts from properties they have traditionally cultivated. Legal representative Bryan Neal has confirmed he is providing counsel to multiple farmers from San Antonio Village and adjacent communities such as Seven Miles, El Progreso, and San Ignacio.
These agricultural workers assert generations-long peaceful occupation and farming of the disputed territories. The situation deteriorated markedly in January when an individual emerged, professing to be the designated caretaker of the land. According to Neal, this claimant has not produced verifiable legal documentation establishing his authority or ownership rights, yet has initiated aggressive measures to displace the farmers.
The conflict turned violent when one farmer was reportedly targeted by gunfire during a recent confrontation. Although the Belize Police Department has been notified of the incident, no formal charges have been filed to date.
Neal is urgently demanding comprehensive law enforcement investigation into the shooting allegation and is appealing to the Ministry of Natural Resources to intervene. He seeks official protection for the farmers against what he characterizes as systematic unlawful intimidation and coercive tactics aimed at dispossessing them of their agricultural livelihoods. The legal advocate emphasizes that these communities face persistent fear and instability due to the unresolved territorial dispute.