In a sharply worded rebuke delivered on May 29, 2026, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has publicly condemned former minister Elvin Penner over what he calls an unacceptably dangerous and poorly coordinated explosives operation that put multiple lives at imminent risk of catastrophe. Briceño’s criticism is rooted in official reports from the Belize Defence Force (BDF) and verifiable video evidence documenting the operation, which he says lacked critical oversight and safety protocols required for handling explosive materials. According to the prime minister, even a minor error during the operation could have triggered an uncontrolled catastrophic explosion with fatal consequences.
Briceño emphasized the severity of Penner’s actions in direct comments to reporters, noting that BDF assessments confirm the operation came perilously close to disaster. “I think that Elvin Penner from what we have seen with the videos and what we are told, was reckless,” Briceño stated. “What I was told by the BDF is that if he would have travelled some miles down that could have exploded and he would have been dead. And he should have known better.”
In response to the prime minister’s accusations, Penner has pushed back, arguing that the only notable negative outcome of the operation was nearby wildfires sparked by flying sparks from the detonations. But Briceño says this explanation does not excuse the fundamental failures of the unregulated operation. The prime minister stressed that Penner’s choice to proceed without coordinating with all relevant government agencies created an unacceptable public safety hazard that could have resulted in mass casualties, regardless of whether a major explosion was ultimately avoided.
The incident has prompted Briceño to call for immediate stricter oversight of all future explosives operations in the country. He outlined a new mandatory framework that requires participation from all key stakeholder agencies before any such work can begin, including the Department of Environment, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), national fire services, and the BDF. Briceño acknowledged that even well-planned operations can face unforeseen challenges—such as sudden shifts in weather conditions that fan wildfires—but emphasized that coordinated multi-agency planning is critical to minimizing risk.
“Sometimes you plan and they are telling you there is going to be no wind and all of a sudden the wind comes. There is always room for improvement,” Briceño said. “But it does not remove the fact or negate that what Mr. Penner did to remove things. This was dangerous and could have created havoc and killed a lot of people.”
This report is a transcription of an evening television broadcast, with Kriol language statements rendered using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.