标签： Belize

In the ongoing constitutional debate surrounding Belize’s proposed Thirteenth Amendment, former Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa has emerged as a prominent defender of the legislative changes. Addressing growing public concerns, Musa clarified that the amendment does not establish novel anti-crime powers but rather elevates existing provisions from the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Reform Act to constitutional status.

The constitutional transformation, according to Musa, serves as a legal safeguard against potential challenges to the legislation’s validity. He emphasized that current anti-crime mechanisms, including states of emergency, remain fully operational and legally supported while the Attorney General’s office finalizes implementation details.

The political discourse has intensified due to conflicting judicial rulings regarding emergency powers, with these legal contradictions expected to eventually reach the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for ultimate resolution. Musa maintains that until the CCJ provides definitive guidance, the existing legal framework continues to authorize necessary security measures, with the amendment serving primarily as constitutional reinforcement rather than substantive change.

This development occurs amidst broader national discussions about balancing security needs with constitutional protections, marking a significant moment in Belize’s ongoing criminal justice reform efforts.

Transparency advocate Jeremy Enriquez has declared the government’s response to his Freedom of Information Act request regarding Constituency Development Fund (CDF) records fundamentally inadequate. Despite previous assurances from the Office of the Prime Minister, the disclosed information fails to meet both the legal requirements and the substantive purpose of his sweeping request for accountability documentation.

The controversy originated in November 2025 when Enriquez submitted a comprehensive FOIA application seeking multi-year CDF records across multiple government ministries. The Office of the Prime Minister responded by acknowledging the administrative complexity of retrieving the extensive documentation—including budgets, disbursement records, payment vouchers, audit reports, and internal assessments—while requesting an extension beyond the statutory fourteen-day deadline for issuing an access decision.

Enriquez maintained that while he recognized the operational challenges, the government’s legal obligation to provide a formal access decision within the mandated timeframe remained absolute. He argued that administrative inconvenience cannot override statutory requirements, and failure to comply constitutes a deemed refusal, potentially triggering legal enforcement mechanisms.

The currently disclosed information consists solely of a basic schedule outlining monthly CDF allocations by constituency, totaling $523,333.33 distributed nationwide. The breakdown reveals significant disparities in funding levels: Orange Walk Central receives the highest allocation at $25,000 monthly, while four constituencies—Albert, Fort George, Mesopotamia, and Queen Square—receive only $10,000 each.

Enriquez emphasizes that this superficial data fails to address the core objective of his request: obtaining the detailed documentation necessary to verify how funds were actually disbursed, to whom they were paid, what approval processes were followed, and whether audits revealed any irregularities or non-compliance. Without these supporting records, the public cannot effectively monitor the use of public funds or hold officials accountable for proper CDF management.

The transparency advocate has indicated that the government’s partial response represents a failure of the FOIA process’s fundamental purpose—to provide meaningful access to public records that enable genuine governmental accountability rather than merely performing transparency through minimal disclosure.

In a stark address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a sobering assessment of the contemporary international landscape, cautioning that nations excluded from power negotiations increasingly risk becoming targets of geopolitical ambition. Carney characterized the current global situation not as a transitional phase but as a fundamental rupture in the international system.

The Prime Minister articulated that the established rules-based global order has ceased functioning as intended, particularly for countries that historically depended on multilateral institutions, trade regulations, and international law to restrain the actions of dominant powers. He contended that both governments and corporations persist in operating under the pretense that the former system remains intact, despite privately acknowledging its progressive deterioration—a collective self-deception that enables power politics to proliferate without meaningful constraint.

Drawing inspiration from Václav Havel’s seminal essay ‘The Power of the Powerless,’ Carney likened the international community to Havel’s shopkeeper who displays political slogans without genuine belief merely to signal compliance. For decades, Carney argued, nations have similarly placed ‘signs in their windows’ by rhetorically endorsing a rules-based order while tacitly accepting its exceptions, hypocrisies, and selective enforcement.

This arrangement, while imperfect, previously functioned through American hegemony which provided essential global public goods including security protection, open maritime routes, financial stability, and dispute-resolution frameworks. These benefits enabled many governments to pursue value-driven policies under the assumption that a broader architectural order would persist.

Carney emphasized that this implicit bargain has now collapsed, citing growing concerns about the United States’ increasingly transactional approach toward allies and international institutions. This shift includes employing tariffs and economic threats as geopolitical leverage and demonstrating willingness to circumvent international norms when they conflict with national objectives.

The timing of Carney’s address coincided with heightened global anxiety regarding U.S. pressure on Greenland, where strategic positioning and Arctic resources have become bargaining chips in broader security competition. Carney explicitly positioned Canada in support of Greenland and Denmark’s sovereignty, warning against leveraging economic measures to advance Arctic geopolitical ambitions.

In a definitive statement on international compliance, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez Alvarado has unequivocally committed to honoring the International Court of Justice’s forthcoming ruling regarding ongoing territorial disputes. The declaration came during high-level diplomatic engagements with the Organization of American States (OAS) on January 22, 2026.

Minister Martinez Alvarado characterized Guatemala’s relationship with the OAS as fundamentally collaborative, emphasizing the nation’s steadfast dedication to international legal frameworks. When directly questioned about Guatemala’s position on the ICJ’s eventual decision, the Foreign Minister responded with an unambiguous affirmation: “With a firm ‘yes’, I respond to your question regarding our respect for the ICJ final ruling regardless of the outcome.”

The diplomatic discussions also addressed documented military incursions along the contentious Sarstoon River border area, which remains a persistent flashpoint in regional relations. Minister Martinez Alvarado acknowledged that while some confrontational incidents have proven “unfortunately inevitable,” both neighboring nations have implemented concrete measures to de-escalate tensions throughout the disputed territory.

“The primary objective remains reducing tension across the entire zone, including the Sarstoon River,” Martinez Alvarado stated, underscoring Guatemala’s commitment to diplomatic solutions despite periodic clashes. Both governments continue to signal their intention to maintain dialogue and adhere to established international protocols through the OAS framework, with the newly appointed OAS Secretary-General representative Francis Fonseca participating in the critical talks.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has successfully concluded a comprehensive training program in collaboration with the Caribbean Democrat Union (CDU), marking a significant step in its organizational strengthening efforts. The weekend initiative brought together party standard bearers, caretakers, Central Executive Committee members, and youth representatives for intensive capacity-building sessions.

This training constitutes a strategic component of the UDP’s broader initiative to enhance its internal structure and fortify its position within Belize’s democratic landscape. Party leadership emphasized that the program directly supports ongoing efforts to revitalize, reform, and strategically reposition the organization to more effectively address the needs of Belizean citizens.

The UDP extended sincere appreciation to its international partners, including the Caribbean Democrat Union, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and the Leadership Institute, acknowledging their sustained collaboration in promoting democratic principles and leadership excellence throughout the region.

Senior party figures underscored that a well-prepared, robustly organized UDP is fundamental to maintaining the vitality and integrity of Belize’s democratic system. The training focused on practical skills development, strategic planning, and reinforcing democratic values among party members at all levels.