Belmopan, Belize – October 20, 2026 – Belize’s national security landscape has seen rapid leadership turnover in the year following the 2025 general elections, with four different ministers already stepping into the role of National Security Minister. Now, Michel Chebat has inherited the portfolio from Julius Espat, and the government is pinning its hopes on Chebat to bring much-needed stability and continuity to a critical sector that has had little time to settle under rotating leadership.
Two weeks into his new appointment, Chebat sat down for his first exclusive interview with News Five to discuss his transition into office and his vision for moving the ministry forward. When asked about his first impressions of taking on the role, Chebat acknowledged the scale of the task ahead.
“I think the first thought that went through my mind was, ‘This is a lot of work. This is gonna be a lot of work,” Chebat said. “And, um, my immediate concern was really to understand the kinda structures that existed within these organizations to know what I would have to work with.”
Prior to Chebat’s appointment, the portfolio was held by Julius Espat, whose short tenure generated significant public expectation for progress on key security infrastructure projects. Interviewer Shane Williams pressed Chebat on how he plans to build on the momentum established during Espat’s term, particularly given existing infrastructure needs across the security sector and questions around available resourcing.
Chebat noted that he benefited from a smooth handover, crediting his predecessor for laying critical groundwork. He explained, “So, I was fortunate enough that right after my appointment, I had a really good conversation with the Honorable Julius Espat, and he was actually kind enough to share with me the assessment of the police stations he did across the country. And so now my job is to go out and find the finances to be able to correct some of those things that he has identified.”
When Williams asked whether Chebat believed he could deliver on these infrastructure upgrades with the constrained government budget, the new minister emphasized that progress will take time but expressed confidence in government support to advance key priorities.
“Not overnight. Not overnight, but it is, it is a work in progress and I am sure I’m gonna get cabinet support to start making some of these changes,” Chebat said.
This report is a transcript of an evening television broadcast, with all speakers’ words transcribed accurately per standard spelling conventions for Kriol language where used. The full broadcast is available to view on the News Five digital platform.