As Belize prepares to mark a major national milestone – 45 years of full independence – the country’s combined security forces launched a powerful new patriotic tradition on September 18, 2026, completing an inaugural 45-mile symbolic torch run that honors the nation’s hard-won sovereignty.
Organized and led by the Belize Coast Guard, with participation from the Belize Defense Force (BDF) and Belize Police Department, the event brought together 60 uniformed service members to walk the full distance along the George Price Highway. The 45-mile route was intentionally selected to match 45 years of independent nationhood, with a single lit torch carried the entire journey to represent the enduring flame of Belizean freedom.
The run kicked off at Cotton Tree Village, led by initial teams from the Belize Coast Guard. When the procession reached the Hand Monument on the outskirts of Belize City, service members from the BDF and Belize Police Department joined the remaining stretch – a closing segment officially named the People’s Mile, to recognize the public that the security forces serve. The entire distance was completed in staggered intervals by rotating running teams, an organizational structure that put inter-service collaboration at the center of the event.
In remarks ahead of the run, Belize Coast Guard Commandant Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis explained the core inspiration behind the new initiative. He emphasized that the event grew out of the security community’s deep respect for Belize’s sovereignty, democratic governance, and individual liberty. Standing alongside his fellow service members, Soberanis framed the participants as heirs to a legacy forged by the generations of leaders and citizens who fought for and secured Belize’s independence decades ago. “We are proud to be a part of that legacy, warriors who continue to defend the sovereignty of this nation,” he said.
Lieutenant Commander Jasmine Bellini, Belize Coast Guard’s Commander Training, outlined the cross-agency coordination that made the event possible. “The good thing is it’s a team effort, so they have different officers within the coast guard responsible for different things, reaching out to our brothers and sisters in arms,” Bellini explained. She noted that while the majority of the 45-mile route was covered by rotating Coast Guard teams, the final People’s Mile brought all three security branches together in a show of unified commitment to the nation. Overall, Bellini called the coordinated initiative a very positive experience for all participants.
Throughout the entire run, the single lit torch remained the central symbolic focus. Soberanis clarified that the flame represents more than just past independence: it stands for the ongoing duty of Belize’s security forces to protect the freedoms that all citizens enjoy. “The torch symbolizes our liberty, and we want Belize to know that as a member of the security forces, we stand ready to defend the liberties, and that torch must always be kept lit in our hearts, in our lives, on a day-to-day basis, that Belize is free, Belize is sovereign, and Belize remains democratic,” he said.
The event concluded at the Flag Monument in central Belize City, where all participating service members gathered for a formal closing ceremony. Participants joined together to raise the Belizean national flag, sang the national anthem in unison, and paid public tribute to all those whose service and sacrifice over the past 45 years has helped safeguard the nation’s independence. The inaugural torch run is expected to become a recurring patriotic tradition leading up to Belize’s annual Independence Day celebrations. The report was filed by Britney Gordon for News Five, based on a transcript of the outlet’s evening television broadcast.