Church leaders in Belize have clarified that the recent cannabis referendum in Caye Caulker does not contravene their 2022 agreement with the government. They assert that the referendum is a localized initiative and not a national policy shift. Senator Pastor Louis Wade, a key figure in the churches’ “No” campaign, emphasized that the 2022 pact with the Government of Belize—which mandates a national referendum before any legalization of cannabis—remains unbroken. Wade explained that the Caye Caulker vote is not driven by the Cabinet and lacks unified ministerial support, thus it does not breach the agreement. He stated, “Absolutely not, because there are ministers who have clearly expressed their opposition and have called for amendments to the Referendum Act to prevent such occurrences in the future. However, if the government proceeds with legalization based on a ‘yes’ vote, that would constitute a breach, and we would address it accordingly.” Wade further noted that the churches became formally involved after the Elections and Boundaries Commission restricted recognized participation to organizations represented by the four Senate social-partner seats. While the churches would have preferred a community-led “No” campaign, their formal recognition was necessary to ensure the effort’s legitimacy. Operationally, the churches are deploying scrutineers and a volunteer committee to oversee the election process, underscoring the localized nature of the exercise. Additionally, the churches have requested the petition signatures that initiated the referendum, citing concerns from island residents who claim their names were included without consent. The 2022 agreement between church leaders and the government explicitly requires a national referendum before any legalization of cannabis. Wade maintains that only Cabinet action to legalize based solely on the Caye Caulker results would violate this pact. In the absence of such action, the referendum serves as a local gauge of public opinion rather than a precursor to national policy change.