BELIZE CITY – October 20, 2026. Prime Minister John Briceño touched down at Philip Goldson International Airport this afternoon, where reporters immediately pressed him on one of the most surprising recent developments in his cabinet: the sudden reshuffle that saw Julius Espat replaced as Minister of Home Affairs by Michel Chebat, who now assumes leadership of the newly consolidated Ministry of National Security.
For more than three months, Espat held the interim Home Affairs portfolio, and during his tenure, observers noted marked improvements in police morale alongside completed infrastructure projects, including critical roof repairs at the Raccoon Street Police Station. Espat repeatedly expressed openness to retaining the role long-term, stating publicly on multiple occasions that he was ready to serve permanently at the Prime Minister’s discretion. That made the announcement of Chebat’s appointment all the more unexpected for political observers and the public alike, prompting widespread speculation that Espat had been pushed out against his will.
When asked directly by reporters whether Espat had been offered the permanent role and declined it, Briceño confirmed that Espat had chosen to step away from the portfolio voluntarily to focus on his existing responsibilities.
“When I first asked Espat to take over the ministry on an interim basis, he did it reluctantly, but he told me ‘You are the Prime Minister, I’m a team player, and I’ll do the job to the best of my ability,’” Briceño explained. “I think he found his footing there really quickly, and there was no question he had genuine interest in continuing the work. But due to limited government resources, we made the decision to consolidate the Belize Defence Force (BDF) and police under a single ministry. Combining those two responsibilities with his existing oversight of infrastructure development and housing would have created an unmanageable workload for any minister. Espat himself recognized the importance of this consolidation, and he made the call to step back and stay in his current roles, which are already demanding enough.”
The confirmation puts to rest weeks of speculation surrounding the cabinet change, which had fueled rumors of internal division within the ruling party. Chebat’s appointment as the first head of the consolidated Ministry of National Security is expected to streamline security operations and resource allocation across both the BDF and national police force.