A decades-long local meat vendor in Belize City is locked in a bitter public dispute with the Belize City Council (CitCo) after being locked out of his stall at the Michael Finnegan Market, with both sides trading accusations over the circumstances that led to the closure and leveling legal claims against one another.
Aaron Castillo, who has operated his meat business out of stalls 54 and 54A at the Michael Finnegan Market for more than 20 years, was locked out of his business on September 30, 2026, following a months-long conflict over unpaid fees and licensing. The Belize City Council says the dispute stems from Castillo’s repeated failure to meet financial obligations, which ultimately created a public health hazard. According to Jermaine Hyde, the Council’s Courts Manager, Castillo failed to pay his electricity bill for the stall, leading national utility provider Belize Electricity Limited to disconnect power to the location. Without refrigeration, Castillo’s perishable meat inventory was left to spoil, creating a decomposing food hazard that required Council intervention.
Hyde further explained that Castillo’s market license was originally revoked back in January 2026, and a stop order was issued in August demanding he cease operations over unpaid trade license fees. He noted that the Council had previously entered into a consent agreement with Castillo that allowed him to make monthly installment payments to clear his outstanding debt, but Castillo defaulted on those payments, leaving the Council no choice but to take action. In a statement issued through its legal representation at WA Lindo LLP, the Council called for Castillo to remove the rotting meat and other goods from the stalls, and to clean and disinfect the entire premises. The Council is currently pursuing High Court proceedings to gain full possession of the stalls, recover damages, and cover its legal costs.
Castillo’s legal team, however, paints a far different picture of the situation, arguing that the lockout was unlawful and a violation of existing court agreements. Orson Elrington, Castillo’s attorney, says his office only received the Council’s abatement notice at 3:50 p.m. on September 30, giving Castillo mere minutes to meet the 4:00 p.m. deadline to clear the premises before the Council locked the stall doors. Elrington argues that the lockout directly violated the terms of the earlier consent agreement, which guaranteed Castillo the right to continue occupying the stalls as long as he made the agreed-upon installment payments. He added that the Council ignored his team’s immediate demand to restore access to the property.
As a result of the illegal lockout, Elrington says Castillo has suffered catastrophic losses: at least $75,000 worth of meat was already lost when power was disconnected, and that figure does not include ongoing lost sales or other damage to the 20-year-old business. Elrington’s team has already initiated its own legal proceedings to seek compensation for the losses Castillo has incurred due to the Council’s actions, and has publicly warned the Belize City Council against continuing to enforce the unlawful closure.