分类： society

A tight-knit rural community in southern Belize is reeling from an unexpected and brutal act of violence that has left a local family shattered and searching for justice, after a 45-year-old beloved laborer left his home to collect long-overdue pay and never came back.

Louis Alberto Martinez, a well-known and dependable construction worker and handyman from Santa Cruz Village, was found dead from gunshot and stab wounds just after sunrise on April 24, 2026, along a quiet stretch of the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway near Maya King in South Stann Creek. The violent killing has upended the peace of a community unaccustomed to such tragedy.

Martinez’s niece, Thresia Ritchie, described the devastating moment she learned of her uncle’s death. “I normally get up for work by 2 a.m., and I always keep an eye out for him, since he’s always the first one up too,” Ritchie explained in an interview with News Five. “I got the call just after six, in the middle of my work prep. The officer said, ‘Miss Ritchie, I don’t know how you’ll take this, but we think it’s your uncle here, and we need you to come identify the body.’ When I got there, it was him – we identified him by his clothes. From what we know, he left home yesterday between 4:30 and 5 to collect his pay, and we didn’t hear anything else until they found him this morning.”

Per family accounts, Martinez had been pressing to receive the owed payment for two full days before his death. For days, the person who owed him had put him off, telling him to come back repeatedly. “He told my mom, ‘I don’t have any money on me. Can you give me five dollars? I don’t want to go out there with an empty pocket,’” Ritchie recalled. “My mom gave him the five dollars, and that was the last time she spoke to him or saw him alive.”

Investigators confirmed that Martinez’s body was located near the 21-mile mark of the highway, with clear evidence of both stabbing and gunshot trauma. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, the staff officer overseeing the case, confirmed that law enforcement has launched a full investigation into the killing, focused on tracing Martinez’s movements after he left his home. “What we have gathered so far is that Mr. Martinez left his residence around 4:30 PM the day before his body was found, heading to collect outstanding payment from an employer,” Smith stated. “We are currently working to map every step of his journey after that point, to advance the ongoing investigation.”

For residents of Santa Cruz Village, the killing is a shocking deviation from the community’s normally quiet, peaceful way of life. Village Chairman Vincent Scott, who assisted first responders with securing the crime scene Thursday morning, noted that spent bullet casings were found at the site alongside Martinez’s body. “This is a working village – everyone heads out to work in the morning and comes home in the evening,” Scott explained. “This isn’t a gang-affected area, and Louis wasn’t involved in any gang activity at all. He was just a regular, hardworking man who went out to do what he had to do. An incident like this makes all of us wonder what could have happened. We’re waiting for police to get to the bottom of it.”

Tonight, Martinez’s family is mourning the loss of a man they described as the steady, reliable heartbeat of their household. Though they are devastated, Ritchie says the family holds out hope that law enforcement will solve the case and deliver the justice they are searching for. “I have faith in the officers working on this case,” Ritchie said. “All we want is for this to go smoothly. There’s nothing else we can do right now.”

This report comes from Shane Williams, reporting for News Five.

Months marked by two brutal teen killings in the coastal zone surrounding the Port of Belize have entered another chapter of uncertainty, as law enforcement officials launched a new death investigation following the discovery of a third corpse in the same general area this week.

The grim find was reported to authorities at 12:44 p.m. on April 24, 2026, when a local fisherman plying his trade near the shoreline stumbled across the heavily decomposed remains of an adult male, according to Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, a staff officer with the Belize Police Department.

Unlike the two earlier teen homicide cases that sent waves of concern through Belize City, the latest discovery shows no outward signs of trauma or foul play at this preliminary stage of the probe, Smith confirmed. An official autopsy has been scheduled to confirm the cause of death and resolve lingering questions about how the man died.

Investigators’ top priority right now is pinpointing the identity of the deceased, a process that they hope will be accelerated by the relatively intact clothing found on the body. The unknown man was wearing a plain black T-shirt, khaki trousers, and a pair of black-and-white Nike athletic sneakers when he was found, details police released to the public in hopes of prompting tips from anyone who recognizes the description.

The body was recovered along the shoreline behind Port of Belize Limited, an industrial zone that has now seen three bodies recovered from its surrounding dykes and coastal areas within a single calendar month. While the location of the latest find is near the sites of the two earlier teen killings, Smith noted that the recovery locations differ slightly: the latest corpse was found on the shore, while the previous two were discovered on nearby inland areas.

Smith emphasized that every unexplained death draws full attention from the police department, regardless of the preliminary circumstances. In the wake of the two homicides earlier this month, law enforcement has already stepped up patrols and expanded investigative operations across the high-concern zone around the port, actions that will continue as the probe into this latest death moves forward.

A wave of unexplained disappearances of young people has sent shockwaves across the small Central American nation of Belize, leaving grieving families desperate for answers and eroding public confidence in the country’s law enforcement response to the crisis. As of April 2026, at least six high-profile cases of missing young men – Deborah Arthurs, Jamir Cambranes, Jaheil Westby, Alwin Marin, Steve Lewis, and Lidhani Martinez – have dominated local headlines, turning a localized issue into a national conversation about public safety and institutional accountability.

For many family members, the uncertainty surrounding their loved ones’ fates has turned into prolonged agony. Zenida Lanza, a relative of recent missing person Bree Arthurs, voiced the frustration shared by dozens of affected households, questioning whether active searches are still ongoing for her missing family member after weeks without official updates.

In response to mounting public pressure, Richard Rosado, Commissioner of the Belize Police Department, has acknowledged the seriousness of the growing crisis. He told local reporters that senior command leadership has held multiple urgent strategy sessions to craft a coordinated approach to the rising number of missing person reports. Rosado emphasized that once a report is filed, it remains an open, active investigation indefinitely, and that law enforcement has committed significant resources to tracking all viable leads. While he confirmed that investigative teams have made incremental progress in some open cases, he stopped short of sharing concrete details that could compromise ongoing work. He added that the department is doing everything within its power to deliver closure to the waiting families.

Despite official reassurances, the persistent pattern of disappearances has left communities across Belize on edge. Residents and activists are pushing for more transparent updates on investigations, and are calling for systemic changes to speed up police response times for missing person reports. The core questions hanging over the nation remain unanswered: what is driving this spike in missing young men, and will more disappearances occur before authorities get a handle on the crisis?

In a high-stakes display of law enforcement action against transnational drug trafficking, Belizean police have incinerated more than 2,392 pounds of illegally trafficked cocaine and cannabis valued at an estimated $13 million, marking one of the largest controlled drug destruction operations in the country’s recent history. The destruction, carried out on April 24, 2026, followed formal court approval under the nation’s Misuse of Drugs Act regulations, clearing the way for authorities to remove the massive cache of controlled substances from illegal circulation permanently.

The narcotics destroyed in the operation originated from two separate high-profile busts carried out earlier this year. The first and largest seizure involved 1,215.6 pounds of cocaine intercepted in Neuland, Corozal District, during a coordinated joint operation involving Belizean police, customs enforcement, and Mexican air security officials. Security teams tracked an unregistered drug plane originating from Costa Rica as it entered Belizean airspace, intercepting the aircraft immediately after it landed in Corozal and arresting two Mexican national suspects on site.

The second cache consisted of 1,176.5 pounds of high-grade cannabis, seized during a targeted raid on an apartment in Lords Bank Village, Belize District, conducted several weeks prior to the destruction operation. Alongside the cannabis, investigators also recovered a 9mm handgun and a stock of ammunition; the entire seizure carried a street value of approximately $1.6 million. No suspects have yet been taken into custody in connection with this cannabis bust, and investigations remain active.

Speaking on the legal process that authorized the destruction, Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado confirmed that authorities submitted a formal application to the local magistrate court for permission to dispose of the controlled substances. The court approved the request after confirming that destroying the narcotics would not compromise any ongoing criminal proceedings linked to the two seizures. “Pursuant to Regulation 27.1 of the Misuse of Drug Act regulation, application was made to the magistrate for the issuance of an order for the disposal of the cocaine that was seized in Nueland Corozal and the cannabis that was seized in Lord Bank,” Rosado explained. “The Magistrate having been satisfied that the said controlled substance can be destroyed without any prejudice to any pending criminal proceedings, duly granted the order.”

Assistant Police Commissioner Gualberto Garcia detailed the extensive security protocols put in place to safely transport the two drug caches, which were stored in separate secure locations across the country ahead of the burning. A large contingent of officers was deployed to escort the loads to the destruction site, with a heavily guarded perimeter established to prevent any unauthorized access and protect both personnel and bystanders. “The two loads were secured in two different locations, so we had to ensure that we provide adequate security for those loads to reach where we are,” Garcia noted. “We have a strong perimeter around us currently with security, so it’s not very easy for anybody to get close to us. That is one of the main objectives that we have, is the security and safety of not only our officers, but persons who are here, ensuring that the process goes smoothly.”

While routine drug destruction operations are carried out annually to clear out seized narcotics from police evidence storage facilities, Wednesday’s operation stands out as one of the largest in recent memory in terms of both volume and street value. Rosado emphasized that the successful interception and destruction of the large drug shipment sends a clear message to transnational criminal networks: Belize will not serve as a passive transit route for drug trafficking. “It does show that the personnel, police officers are highly motivated. It also highlight that Belize is not a transit route for drug trafficking because we have the partnership, we have the intelligence, and we have the capability to intercept and track drug traffickers,” Rosado said. “So it does serve as a motivation for our personnel and I want to thank the security forces and all our police officers who were involved in both seizures.”

With the destruction complete, authorities have shifted their focus back to ongoing investigations, the prosecution of the two suspects already in custody, and the manhunt for any individuals linked to the Lords Bank cannabis bust. When asked about potential risks of retaliation from drug trafficking organizations following the loss of the high-value shipment, Garcia noted that large-scale destruction operations are standard procedure, but investigations will continue to progress as authorities pursue all leads tied to the two busts.

The Belize Police Department is currently facing intense public scrutiny after two separate domestic violence allegations against serving officers emerged, prompting a formal response from the force’s top official and reigniting long-simmering debates about internal accountability for abuse within law enforcement ranks.

The first case sparked widespread public outrage after a graphic video of the incident circulated rapidly across social media platforms. The accused officer, Constable Phillip Garbutt, saw criminal charges against him dropped, a decision that immediately drew condemnation from community members and critics of the department. In a second, unrelated case, Government Intelligence Intelligence Unit (GI3) officer Mercedes Chiac was taken into custody on felony assault charges for allegedly abusing his wife. Chiac is now scheduled to appear in court, while also facing ongoing internal disciplinary proceedings from the police department itself.

In an on-the-record interview with local outlet News Five, Police Commissioner Richard Rosado stressed that the department treats all domestic violence allegations against its personnel with the highest level of seriousness. “When individuals in positions of trust face allegations of this sort, it not only harms the victim, but it also erodes the community trust in the police department,” Rosado explained. “Hence the reason we have always taken decisive action both criminally and internally against those individuals.”

Beyond the two active cases, the allegations have prompted broader questions about what systemic measures the department has in place to prevent domestic abuse among officers, many of whom work under high-stress conditions that can exacerbate personal conflict. Opposition Senator Sheena Pitts recently tabled a proposal requiring mandatory regular psychological assessments for all serving officers to identify and address warning signs before incidents occur.

Rosado pushed back on the call for new policy, noting that existing support and intervention systems are already operational for department personnel. He pointed to the Lotus Center, a government-established wellness initiative, and an on-staff counselor available to officers who show early signs of personal or behavioral distress. “I would challenge [the opposition] to provide us with some tangible, concrete solution and we will embrace it,” Rosado said, adding that the department already operates an early warning system that directs at-risk officers to support services as soon as potential issues are identified.

One persistent procedural challenge in domestic violence prosecutions nationally is the common issue of victims withdrawing their statements, which often leaves prosecutors without sufficient evidence to move forward with a case. When asked if the department would support policy changes to limit adult victims’ ability to withdraw statements in domestic abuse cases involving officers, Rosado acknowledged the complexity of the issue.

“In terms of adults without a complainant, it’s challenging, because we need a complainant,” he said. But he noted the department has already implemented a workaround for high-risk cases: “In some cases what we have done, we have recorded statements in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, so that it’ll be admissible in court. So we do have an avenue in how to address that.” For cases involving minor victims, Rosado added, a formal inter-agency protocol with the Ministry of Human Development and the national magistracy is already in place to guide proceedings.

Currently, law enforcement officials are working to reinstate the dropped charges against Garbutt, while Chiac has been placed on administrative interception pending the outcome of his criminal and internal cases. Still, many members of the Belizean public remain critical of what they describe as glacial progress in holding accused officers accountable. For many observers, the core issue is not the department’s formal policies, but the slow pace of action when law enforcement’s own personnel are accused of violent abuse. This report was prepared by Zenida Lanza for News Five.

Across Belize, working people and retirees are grappling with a growing pile of economic pressures that have eroded daily quality of life in recent months. From former employees still waiting on promised severance payouts to commuters and drivers forced to stretch already tight budgets to cover skyrocketing bus fares and fuel costs, financial strain has become a constant burden for ordinary citizens. Now, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) is preparing to turn this year’s annual Labour Day march into more than a traditional celebration – it will be a collective show of worker power and a public platform to amplify the unaddressed challenges facing the nation’s labor force.

In a statement ahead of the event, NTUCB President Ella Waight outlined the dual purpose of this year’s demonstration. “At its core, every Labour Day March is first and foremost a tribute to workers,” Waight explained. “We come together to honor the contributions working people have made to this country, and to celebrate the hard-won gains we have secured over the years. But this year, we cannot ignore the multiple crises facing workers across Belize.”

Waight pointed to a roster of ongoing issues the union movement is currently pushing to resolve. A major priority is the national severance campaign supporting retired workers who have yet to receive the benefits they are owed. Beyond that, the soaring cost of living – driven first and foremost by sharp increases in petroleum and gas prices – has rippled through every corner of household budgets. Higher fuel costs have pushed up public transportation fares, and in turn, driven up the price of groceries and other essential goods, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet.

The union also remains locked in fights to enforce the existing $5 per hour minimum wage, with countless workers across the country still not receiving the legally required pay rate. For these and other ongoing struggles, Waight said, Labour Day offers a unique opportunity for workers to gather in solidarity. With the day designated as a public holiday, she noted, there is no barrier to participation: “There is no excuse for not being able to join us. We call on all workers to turn out and stand with us.”

Following the march, attendees will gather at Birds Isle for a mass rally, where leaders from every affiliated union will deliver remarks to their members. Many unions are currently in active contract negotiations with employers, so the rally serves as a critical space for leaders to update members on progress, keep supporters informed, and rally backing for ongoing talks. Crucially, Waight emphasized, the event is not restricted to union members alone. Labour Day is a celebration for all working people, so the NTUCB extended an open invitation to every member of the public to join the demonstration.

Organizers have also extended a call to local food vendors interested in operating at the post-march rally, asking interested parties to contact the NTUCB office to register for a spot. The march is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026, concluding at the Birds Isle rally site. This report is adapted from a transcript of a television newscast originally published ahead of the event.

Nearly two years after Belize implemented a controversial moratorium on .223 caliber rifles, the recent decision by the country’s Firearms and Ammunition Control Board to end the ban has reignited fierce discussion over gun regulation and public safety, as the nation grapples with persistent challenges from community gun violence.

Critics of the policy reversal have raised urgent alarms that rolling back this restriction at a time of ongoing safety risks sends a dangerous message to the public, and could open the door to greater proliferation of high-powered firearms that end up in criminal hands. But government officials have defended the move, noting that the rifles fill a critical practical need for the country’s agricultural sector, particularly cattle ranchers who depend on the firearms to fend off predatory animals that threaten their livestock.

Now, Abner Murillo, a prominent Belizean gun retailer and outspoken gun rights advocate who owns Locked ‘n Loaded Guns and Ammo, has waded into the debate, pushing back hard against critics who frame the ban’s end as a threat to public safety. In an interview, Murillo argued that widespread fears over the relegalization of .223 rifles are wildly overblown, and that the original moratorium never had a factual basis to begin with.

Murillo laid out the multiple legitimate, non-criminal uses for the caliber that make it popular among Belizean gun owners: “For the .223 caliber, you have many uses including farm use, recreational use. Many people use it to protect their farms against coyotes or certain animals. You have recreational shooting, you have hunting. They’re excellent for hunting smaller game meat or medium sized game meat.”

Beyond practical utility, Murillo emphasized that there is no evidence linking legally owned .223 rifles to violent crime in Belize, undermining the core public safety justification for the original ban. “And if you once again look at the facts, it has never been a matter of public security because there hasn’t been anything to warrant any concerns of public security. There hasn’t been shootings with licensed .223s. I believe there’s one or two incidents of brandishing since those firearms were introduced to the public here in Belize,” he explained.

Murillo also commended the board’s decision, noting that it was rooted in empirical data and on-the-ground knowledge rather than unfounded public opinion. “I think that the board made a decision based on facts once again and based on actual knowledge and not just personal opinion. So we definitely support the removal of a moratorium that wasn’t necessary in the first place, and there wasn’t anything in the first place to warrant such a moratorium. There is nothing there to say, okay, this is a matter of public security and let’s put a moratorium on it,” he added.

A key detail that has further fueled skepticism of the original 2024 moratorium: when the restriction was first implemented in February 2024, regulators promised a full audit and comprehensive policy review to assess the ban’s impact and justifications. As of April 2026, that audit remains incomplete, leaving the core rationale for the years-long ban unvalidated by official data.

This report is a transcript of an evening television broadcast, with all Kriol-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.

As small rural communities across Belize face steadily rising water demand driven by population growth, shifting economic activity, and a changing climate, the country has wrapped up the foundational planning phase for a major initiative to protect long-term access to clean, reliable drinking water for these populations.

Led by the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF), the cross-partner project has completed all community and technical consultations for a first-of-its-kind targeted water demand study focused exclusively on 21 rural villages that have historically faced gaps in water infrastructure planning. The study moves far beyond basic current supply checks: it combines on-the-ground usage data collected in partnership with local stakeholders with long-term projections to ensure new infrastructure will meet community needs for decades to come.

Unlike many infrastructure projects that size systems only for current population levels, this initiative built collaboration into every step of the process. BSIF worked hand-in-hand with the University of Belize, the Ministry of Rural Transformation, and local Village Water Boards to collect accurate, community-specific data. Village Water Boards, which manage local water systems on the ground, contributed critical local insight that shaped the scope and design of the plan, ensuring it addresses on-the-ground priorities rather than top-down assumptions.

Rico Nurse, project coordinator at BSIF, explained that the study’s multi-factor projection model accounts for far more than just population growth. “The consultation allowed the University of Belize to determine current water consumption across these 21 villages, then apply projections that factor in population growth, expanding economic activity, and the impacts of climate change to estimate water demand 5, 7, and 10 years from now,” Nurse said. This data directly informs the sizing of water disinfection equipment that will be installed under the project, eliminating the common pitfall of underbuilding infrastructure that becomes obsolete within a few years of completion.

“This gives us certainty for the public investment we’re making on the ground,” Nurse added. “We can be confident the equipment capacity will match the needs of these communities long into the future.”

The finalized plan will roll out in phased implementation starting in the coming months, with full completion of infrastructure deployment targeted for mid-2027. The project represents a proactive approach to rural water security, addressing future challenges today to avoid service disruptions and unsafe drinking water shortages as Belize’s rural populations evolve.

Since 2023, Belize’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MOECST) has challenged primary and secondary institutions across the country through its MoRE (Ministry of Education Recognition) Campaign. The initiative pushes schools to extend learning beyond traditional classroom walls across five core pillars: digital learning, student health, inclusive education, community involvement, and creative skill-building. Participating schools document their outreach and extracurricular efforts, accumulate points based on the scope and impact of their work, and earn national recognition for going above and beyond standard academic requirements. Today, one small primary school in the Stann Creek District town of Dangriga has emerged as the campaign’s national leader, outscoring every other participating institution in the country to set a new benchmark for what community-centered education can achieve. That school is Epworth Methodist Primary School.

Walk through the halls and outdoor spaces of Epworth Methodist, and it is immediately clear that learning here extends far beyond textbooks and standardized tests. The campus buzzes with purpose-driven activity, from cultural preservation groups to skill-building clubs that bring students, parents and local community members together as equal participants.

One of the school’s most beloved student groups is the GAMAE club, which centers Garifuna cultural heritage through a integrated framework of Arts, Medicine, Agriculture and Education. Nine-year-old Evonay Lopez, who has been part of the group since 2025, says the club has let her develop artistic skills while connecting to her roots. “I’ve learned a lot of songs and a lot of dances,” she explained, echoing the sentiment shared by fellow member Nila Mckoy. “I love being in this group because I love talking Garifuna. I love singing and dancing, and I love the history of Garifuna,” Mckoy shared.

Beyond cultural programming, Epworth’s roster of student-led clubs builds practical, marketable skills that students can carry into adulthood. The school’s crochet club walks students through turning raw yarn into finished handmade goods, with one young student sharing that she completed a beautiful scarf over just three days of focused work. The braiding club centers Black hair education and styling as a cultural and professional skill, with parents actively participating in workshops alongside their children. “You’ll notice that all of our hair is 4C hair. But these are just beautiful styles that they’re beginning to learn and this is an improvement because by the time they’re in their future, they already have talent and businesses that they can start,” explained parent Phrislee Palacio.

The school’s chess club hones critical thinking and strategic problem-solving, while the recycling club turns everyday waste into useful products to teach environmental stewardship. Under the leadership of coordinator Charles Diaz, students transform discarded plastic water pouches into reusable tote bags, carrying cases, and even handcrafted hammocks. Parent and volunteer Renelyn Tulcey notes that the project delivers a clear, actionable lesson for students and the broader community: “Our world could definitely be a better place if we learn how to use recycled materials—or reuse them.” The school even maintains its own on-campus garden, where students grow fresh fruits and vegetables to learn agricultural skills and sustainable food practices.

This expansive, community-integrated model of education is not a sudden shift for Epworth—it is the product of nearly a decade of intentional vision from principal Felecia Zuniga Palacio. Palacio emphasizes that high-quality education cannot be delivered by school staff alone; it requires active buy-in and participation from the entire community. “Why is it important that we do more? It takes more than just teachers and students and the principal to run a school. It takes the community and we want to share with our stakeholders who have that faith in us that we are doing more to ensure that our children have quality and sound education here at Epworth Methodist school,” Palacio said.

The school’s innovative approach has not gone unnoticed by education leaders. Stann Creek District Education Manager David Cano confirms that Epworth has emerged as a trailblazer for the MoRE Campaign across the country. “Epworth is one of the schools in this district that is leading the adoption of the MoRE Program. I believe they have more submissions than others in the district and perhaps leading the country as well in primary schools,” Cano noted. Last year, Epworth secured the top spot nationally with a total of 285 MoRE Campaign points, becoming the first school in Dangriga to earn the program’s official recognition banner—an honor that included a personal visit from the Minister of Education.

For Cano, the impact of Epworth’s work extends far beyond the walls of the school itself. The MoRE Campaign’s ultimate goal is to shape a new generation of well-rounded Belizean citizens, and Epworth’s model proves that goal is achievable through community collaboration. “We want to create a citizen of Belize that is involved, that is knowledgeable, that is creative, who can problem solve and works well,” Cano explained.

Unlike many institutions that wait for external investment to expand student opportunities, Epworth Methodist Primary School has built its transformative model from within, leveraging local community resources and parent engagement to lift up its students. In doing so, it has set a national standard that every primary and secondary school across Belize can aspire to match. Primary and secondary schools across Belize can participate in the MoRE Campaign year-round by submitting their programming through the official MOECST website at moecst.gov.bz/more.