Belize National Security Strategy

The Nation of Belize is founded on principles of freedom and democracy. These fundamental principles are being challenged by the growing climate of criminal impunity and corruption that has penetrated many strata of the region. Faced with diverse internal and external threats to its people and lands, a Belizean strategy for safeguarding the National Security is essential.

The National Security Strategy (NSS) integrates Belize's major national security policies, goals, responsibilities and activities into a cohesive whole. It addresses the issue of national security from all angles and provides an overarching document for accomplishing national security goals through the combined use of the multifaceted instruments of national government. The NSS provides overall strategic guidance and establishes the vision that will guide national security decisions at all levels. It also aims to make individuals at each level aware their roles as partners in the responsibility to work simultaneously and continuously to enhance Belize's National Security and to creatively and harmoniously coordinate activities for optimal use of scarce resources.

The Belize Defense Force can 'Protect and Preserve Belize our beloved COuntry', working together in a well planned, strategic and synchronized manner. All organizations are expected to embrace this security strategy as thier own, pursue its directives, and take the necessary steps to contribute to a safe Belize. All Belizeans can be proud of this strategic initiative and, with a National spirit of cooperation, it will become a crucial vehicle for National progress.

Belize is an independent country within the Commonwealth. Since 1 January 1994, Belize has had responsibility for its own defence. British forces remained in Belize at the request of the Belize Government, and "will remain for an appropriate period" to assist with that country's external defence and the training of the Belize defence force. British forces of around 1,600 were based in Belize to assist in the external defence of that country and with the training of the Belize Defence Force.

By 2000 the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) is the only unit permanently stationed in Belize and consisted of 84 British military personnel. There were no plans to increase this number. The UK shuttered its British Army Training Unit Belize (BATSUB) in November 2011 leaving behind a token presence of about 10 soldiers.

The UK commitment to Belize was to consult internationally in the event of a threat to Belize's security and to play an appropriate part in any response. This had been the UK's position since the withdrawal of the British garrison from Belize in 1994. The UK had a close relationship with the Belize Defence Force. The Ministry of Defence maintained an important jungle training school in Belize. The Governments of Belize and Guatemala worked closely under the auspices of the Organisation of America States (OAS) both to settle their long-standing territorial dispute and to agree on measures to build confidence on the border.

Since 2013, Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Brigadier General David Jones had lobbied the British Government to bring back BATSUB to mid-2011 levels. Two years later, the British Army committed to a renewed, full scale BATSUB facility in Belize. That commitment was cemented with an october 2015 visit from Lieutenant General James Rupert Everard, the Commander of the British Army’s Land Forces.

Lt. General James Everard - Commander, Land Forces, British Army: "You'll know that our army has been focused on the campaign in Iraq and Afghanistan, we're not returning to contingency and one of the areas we're going to explore is re-establishing our training presence in Belize. As you know we've had about 900 soldiers here this year. I think we'll be just over 2,000 next year and I think that will establish a pattern of activity that we hope to maintain over a prolonged period."

The return of the British Army would lead to badly needed foreign exchange, free use of military equipment such as helicopters for its army and officials, and of course a modicum of comfort against any military adventurism from neighboring Guatemala.

Diálogo talked with Brigadier General David Jones, commander of Belize Defence Force, during the XIII Caribbean Nations Security Conference (CANSEC), held in Nassau, Bahamas, from 20-23 January 2015. "The police are now in the capital city, where most of the gang problem is. We are trying to move away so that the Police are definitely the face of the steel and not the military. We prefer not to have our military aiming our weapons at our own citizens."

Belize is a major transit country for illegal drugs destined for the United States from source countries in South America. Large stretches of unpopulated jungles on the border with Guatemala and a relatively unpatrolled coastline that includes hundreds of small islands and atolls make it difficult to conduct interdictions. Remote jungles provide a hospitable environment for the growing and trafficking of cannabis. Belize is bordered by countries where the drug trade is controlled by well-organized and extremely violent drug–trafficking organizations.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the trafficking routes are predominately maritime and via air. Due to Belize’s unique geography, maritime vessels are able to avoid law enforcement detection by moving at night and using the hundreds of cayes (islands) to conceal their movement. Drugs are trafficked in vessels ranging from container ships to more common “go-fast” boats. For aerial transshipment, Belize’s topography is well suited for remote and undetectable airstrips, where aircraft can quickly land and refuel, continuing onward to destination countries. Belize has no air defense systems and limited capabilities to monitor aircraft at night.

Despite enhanced efforts to monitor coastal waters, insufficient funds, equipment, and personnel hamper the Belize Coast Guard (BCG) and the Anti-Drug Unit (ADU). The ADU is being upgraded to a fully vetted unit with additional support from the United States. Belize’s counternarcotic efforts are adversely affected by corruption, deficiencies in intelligence gathering and analysis, and an ineffective judicial sector.

Given its geographic location – right next to Guatemala and below Mexico – and its proportionally small population – slightly more than 340,000 people to an area close to 9,000 square miles – the country has morphed into a storage location for drugs being transported to the lucrative US market.