On November 12, 2026, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño laid out an ambitious long-term policy vision that would see the Central American nation fully eliminate personal income tax for all working residents, though he emphasized that such a sweeping reform would not be implemented hastily without sustainable alternative revenue frameworks in place. During a public address that was broadcast as part of the evening national newscast, Briceño noted that his administration had already taken meaningful steps to reduce the tax burden for low-income workers in recent years, having previously raised the personal income tax-free threshold to BZ$29,000, a move that pulled thousands of low-wage employees out of the tax system entirely and put thousands of dollars in annual savings back into household budgets. The prime minister acknowledged that the current tax bracket covering earners making between BZ$29,000 and BZ$50,000 places significant, undue financial strain on the country’s middle class, a demographic that makes up a large share of current personal income tax revenue for the national government. To that end, the Cabinet has formally directed the Belize Tax Service Department to conduct a full, evidence-based review of the existing national tax structure, with specific mandates to explore two immediate relief pathways: raising the non-taxable income threshold even further, or cutting applicable income tax rates for the middle-class bracket by as much as 15 percent. Briceño stressed that any tax adjustment, including the eventual full phase-out of personal income tax, would require careful planning to identify stable replacement revenue streams to avoid gaps in public funding for critical government services, ruling out reckless, unplanned tax cuts that could destabilize the national economy. The announcement comes as part of the administration’s broader push to boost disposable household income and reduce cost-of-living pressures for Belizean working families.