Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited global trade tensions by announcing steep new tariffs on 14 countries, warning they could face duties of 25% to 40% starting August 1 unless they make trade concessions.
The move, part of Trump’s broader strategy to pressure trading partners into boosting U.S. exports and relocating manufacturing to the United States, marks a significant escalation in his ongoing trade agenda. Countries targeted include key U.S. allies such as Japan and South Korea, as well as Southeast Asian economies like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
In near-identical letters to the leaders of affected countries, Trump said he was committed to “more balanced and fair TRADE” and left the door open for exemptions if countries eliminate tariffs and reduce trade barriers. He warned of further tariff increases if retaliatory measures are taken.
The highest tariffs, 40%, will hit Laos and Myanmar, while others, including Cambodia, Thailand, and South Africa, face rates between 30% and 36%. All were previously subject to a 10% baseline duty.
Asian officials responded cautiously. Japan called the move “truly regrettable,” while South Korea and Malaysia said they would intensify negotiations to secure more favourable trade terms before the deadline. However, experts say the region’s ability to present a unified response is limited due to differing national interests.
Analysts believe many countries may have to accept some level of tariff pain, as Trump’s measures appear more permanent than previously expected.
On Monday, Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado asked Belizeans to support the 13th Amendment, following the murders of Evadnie and Luke Jones on Cedar Street on the south side of Belize City.
He said, “I want to beg and implore the public to support the police department as a united front as resolute support for the amendment for the gang and gun laws being proposed in the 13th Amendment of the constitution. I do believe that 13th Amendment is a needed enhancement of the legislation that will assist us, not only in protecting the community and in ensuring the the rule of law is upheld but also in assisting us to dismantle the entrenched network of violence that exist.”
But the sweeping constitutional amendment proposed by the Government has ignited fierce national debate, with critics warning of a dangerous erosion of civil liberties and democratic norms.
The Belize Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Prime Minister John Briceño, seeks to expand the government’s powers to declare “special areas” for public safety, establish a Gun and Gang Court, and retroactively validate past States of Emergency (SOEs) and related actions.
The government argues the amendment is necessary to combat rising gang violence and to resolve legal uncertainty following conflicting High Court rulings in 2023 (Claims Nos. 613 and 818), which questioned the constitutionality of previous SOEs.
“Crime evokes strong emotions from the citizens of a country… They all deserve strong and decisive action from their government,” said Prime Minister Briceño during the bill’s introduction.
This is what the bill proposes.
Special Areas: The Governor General, advised by the National Security Council, could declare any part of Belize a “special area,” where rights such as freedom of movement and protection from warrantless searches may be suspended.
Gun and Gang Court: A new court with powers of both the Magistrate and High Courts would be created to fast-track gang-related cases.
Retroactive Validation: Past SOEs and regulations, including those ruled unlawful, would be deemed constitutional under the new law.
However, critics are sounding the alarm.
Civil society groups, legal experts, and opposition leaders have condemned the bill as a “shortcut to repression” that threatens the very foundation of Belize’s democracy.
“This is how democracies die—not in a moment, but in amendments,” wrote columnist Nuri Muhammad in an op-ed.
The Belize Association of Defense Attorneys issued a letter warning that the bill “threatens civil liberties, weakens the rule of law, and gives too much unchecked power to the executive.”
Labour Senator Glenfield Dennison also criticised the bill’s retroactive clauses, stating, “When you lose the High Court, you go to a Court of Appeal and then after Court of Appeal you go to CCJ. They never teach me that when you lose the High Court you’re going to change the constitution to make it suit you.”
Legal observers have raised concerns that the bill could normalise emergency powers and lead to arbitrary detentions, particularly in marginalised communities. Past SOEs have disproportionately affected young men in Southside Belize City, with reports of detentions lasting up to 90 days without charge.
The public will soon have the opportunity to weigh in. The Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee has scheduled a public consultation for Wednesday, July 16th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Swift Hall in Belize City.
Rupert Lopez Jr has pleaded guilty to the 2021 murder of Kenrick John Drysdale, who was gunned down in front of his business in Dangriga, Stann Creek.
Drysdale was at One Love Car Wash on Commerce Street when he was shot multiple times on the morning of January 28, 2021. He died at the scene.
Lopez was only 16 years old at the time. Witnesses reported to police they saw him walking up and down the street shortly before the gunfire.
Lopez claimed Drysdale had picked him up in a car and threatened to kill him. He said he escaped, returned with a gun, and pulled the trigger.
The court accepted his guilty plea to murder, and he is now scheduled to be sentenced on August 5. Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Javier Chan prosecuted the case.
Tensions are rising at the University of Belize (UB) as the University of Belize Faculty and Staff Union (UBFSU) issued a pointed public demand for the immediate implementation of a long-promised 9% salary increase.
The union’s statement calls out both the Government of Belize and UB’s leadership for what it describes as “delayed justice” and a failure to uphold commitments to university employees.
The salary adjustment, originally scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2025, was confirmed in an April 10 bulletin from UB’s Human Resources Department. The bulletin acknowledged a delay in implementation due to financial planning constraints but assured staff that the increase would be retroactively applied and fully processed by the end of the fiscal year on August 1, 2025.
However, the UBFSU remains unconvinced. In its press release, the union criticised the administration’s assurances as “insincere” and accused both UB leadership and the government of using subvention negotiations as an excuse to delay action.
“After ten years of patience, we will no longer accept delays, excuses, or passed responsibilities,” the release stated.
Key Demands from UBFSU:
To the Government of Belize: Immediate commitment to increased subvention in the April 26 budget to support the 9% salary increase.
To UB Leadership: Take full responsibility for securing adequate funding and stop deflecting accountability.
To Union Members: Prepare for mobilisation if concrete commitments are not made.
The union says that UB employees have not received a meaningful salary adjustment in over a decade, despite rising inflation and increased workloads. It also highlighted that Belize invests only 0.4% of its GDP in tertiary education, less than half the 1% average seen in similarly sized nations.
UBFSU is calling for a meeting on Thursday, July 10, involving the Ministers of Education and Finance, union leaders, and UB Board representatives to align on a path forward. “After unrealised promises and press releases, we will accept nothing less than concrete commitments,” the union said.
Matyas Carlos Bo has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for stabbing his brother to death during a drunken argument in Bella Vista Village last year.
The plea was entered on Monday before Justice Antoinette Moore. He is now scheduled to be sentenced on August 5th. Bo had initially been charged with murder but accepted a reduced charge for the killing of John Bo on September 25, 2024.
The brothers were drinking with three other men at John Bo’s home when an argument broke out. Both were reportedly intoxicated. During the confrontation, it is reported that Matyas pulled a pocketknife and stabbed John in the chest. John picked up a piece of cement block to defend himself, but before a second stab could be inflicted, one of the men intervened and stopped Matyas.
John Bo later died from his injuries.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Javier Chan.
The Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR) of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) is warning the public and project stakeholders of scam phone calls attempting to gain unauthorised access to online meetings or information related to ISCR-NICH’s activities.
According to a public notice issued this week, unknown individuals have been contacting stakeholders while falsely claiming to represent ISCR-NICH. In some cases, the callers request confirmation codes or attempt to extract personal or organisational details.
“DO NOT engage with any unknown caller asking you for a confirmation code to enter an online meeting. DO NOT disclose any personal, organisational, or other related information,” ISCR-NICH said. “Going forward, ISCR-NICH personnel will be utilising our institutional phone number and email during this period.”
It’s a tragedy that’s shaken the nation to its core. A Belize City mother and her paralyzed son, Evadnie and Luke Jones, were brutally gunned down in cold blood on Friday night, right in their own yard on Cedar Street. The double murder has left the community reeling, and the country demanding answers. What makes this even more chilling is the possible motive. Just hours before the attack, Patrick “Pato” Jones, Evadnie’s son and Luke’s brother, posted a video on TikTok from the U.S., taunting a rival gang. That video may have triggered a deadly chain reaction, one that ended in the loss of two innocent lives.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
It was a crime that unfolded in silence and went unnoticed for nearly a full day. Under the cover of darkness, gunmen ambushed an elderly woman and her disabled adult son in their own yard. By the time police discovered the scene, almost twenty hours later, it was too late. Sixty-nine-year-old Evadnie Jones and her son, Luke Jones, were already gone. The community is heartbroken. Evadnie was known for her warmth, and Luke, who spent his days near La Popular Bakery, was a familiar face to many. He often sat outside, asking for small donations, and had formed a close friendship with a security guard known as “Primo.”
Hector “Primo”
Voice of: Hector “Primo”, Friend of Deceased
“Yes he was really my good friend, I lost my good friend. My good friend I lost. Bway everybody we cant believe it, because I close the shop Friday and I sent him home on Friday in the night and the thing happened like quarter to eight, seven thirty, and dah my boss told me Saturday when I came from work from here to the next one, and my boss told me bway dah Luke. And we were surprised, because he us e to go like ten o’clock Saturday, almost the hour, every time he use to go. But we didn’t see him Saturday and I said that is not normal. But only when the bad weather he didn’t come, but when he come we get surprised, but we didn’t know it was him.”
Luke Jones
He was a friend to many and a threat to no one. But on that tragic night, Luke Jones was found lying in a pool of blood at his front gate, right beside his mother, Evadnie, on Cedar Street. Tonight, the heartbreak is still fresh, and so is the outrage. Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers, a former neighbor and someone who knew the family well, is speaking out. He’s condemning the brutal act that took two innocent lives and left an entire community in shock.
Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers
Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers, Belize City Resident
“I feel that pain from the day before because that incident happened from the night and people text me and asked if I did not hear the shot. So I want to know how the people deh nuh inform the police and why the police did not come check that they heard gunfire. and these people, they say, were right by the gate.”
Paul Lopez
“What poses a man to kill an innocent woman and her disabled son, in the thick of gang warfare?”
Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers
“You have to remember that all the children broken, all the kids broken. The incident happened because that individual on that other side has a problem with somebody on the other side and that person has family right beside he, you understand. The individual weh deh round deh should have given them advice to think twice to go do that situation, because that parent had nothing to do with the violence and then Lukey had nothing to do with that, because he disabled from the day he was born.”
Just hours after Patrick “Pato” Jones went live on TikTok, challenging a rival group in Belize and mentioning his mother during the broadcast, tragedy struck. His mother and his disabled brother were gunned down outside their home on Cedar Street. The timing of the attack has raised serious concerns, as the shots that ended their lives rang out shortly after the video was posted. Now, many are questioning whether a social media post may have triggered a deadly act of retaliation.
Patrick “Pato” Jones
Patrick “Pato” Jones, Relative of Deceased
“Only my mah unu could play with. Bway please bro.”
Following the tragic killing of his mother and brother, Patrick “Pato” Jones went live on TikTok again, this time vowing revenge. In response, the Office of the Commissioner of Police issued a strong warning against sharing content that could incite violence or threaten public safety, directly referencing Jones’ broadcasts. Commissioner Richard Rosado assured the public that police are fully committed to the case, stating they “will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“We are following strong leads and we do have persons of interest that I do not want to disclose to protect the integrity of the investigation.”
Paul Lopez
“You said you will not rest until justice is served.”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“We have deployed all available investigative resources and our investigators are on the ground meticulously collecting evidential material for us to be able to identify and bring the perpetrator to justice.”
In response to the recent double homicide, Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton voiced deep concern over the rise in gang-related violence. She urged the government to bring back and properly fund community policing, rebuild public trust in law enforcement, and work closely with civil society to promote peace and restore safety in Belizean communities. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Commissioner of Police, Doctor Rosado, held a press conference right in front of the victim’s home, where he confirmed what many had feared: a live TikTok video, streamed by Patrick Jones, played a major role in escalating tensions between two rival gangs. According to the Commissioner, police were already monitoring the situation online and working to take the videos down. But the content spread so fast, it was nearly impossible to contain.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Our initial investigation reveals that the incident may have occurred on the fourth of July sometime around seven thirty p.m. when shots were heard in the area. Our investigation also revealed it may have been as a result of escalating gang tension within rival groups. We believe it may have stemmed from a live on social media in which one member of certain group issued threats and taunts to another rival group member which escalated to two family members of that person being shot and killed. We are following up all leads and we were monitoring the tensions due to the escalating exchange in the social media and our GI3 personnel and our special branch personnel were monitoring before it escalated quickly. We recognize we must do some adjustment to our strategy to be able to monitor and prevent incidents like these from happening in the future.”
Reporter
“Are you able to say what led to the escalation to this guy going live?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“We are still trying to establish his motive in doing that. We acknowledge he went live and it was shared by a number of organization and individuals which sparked the violent confrontation.”
Reporter
“Are you saying the other parties would not have seen that live on their own if it was not shared widely?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“Our cybercrime unit were working closely with social media platform. We weremonitoring,. Identifying and removing them. But we recognize the persistent challenges, as one is taken down somebody else posted it. We recognized that but we were monitoring it from the onset.”
Over the weekend, the Office of the Commissioner of Police issued a strong reminder to the public: think twice before hitting ‘share.’ The release urged Belizeans to act responsibly when posting or forwarding content online, especially anything that could incite violence or threaten public safety. Today, we caught up with Commissioner Rosado to get his take on that message, and to ask about something else that’s stirring conversation. Patrick Jones, the man behind that controversial live video, says he’s coming home. So, what does the Commissioner have to say about that?
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“We recognize that promoting, engaging or distributing provocative content thatinsights violence, actually provide fuel for the violence. As individuals and organizations we most be responsible about what we share to the media. We all share a collective responsibility to break the cycle of violence.”
Reporter
“And also Mr. Jones has said he is returning home.”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“Well we would welcome him, because we have several matters that we are waiting for him to return and we are waiting for him and we will welcome him back for Belize.”
Reporter
“He did say that he was wanted for murder, can you confirm.”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“He is wanted for questioning. I do believe that his reckless behavior led to what transpired over the weekend.”
Reporter
“Can Mr. Jones video be something you can characterize as inciting fear or instilling fear to be charged under the cybercrime laws?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“His act is reckless, criminal, and has fueled the violence transpired over the weekend.”
Reporter
“What are you doing to contain retaliatory measures, this woman had nephews from other gangs. How do you stop that retaliation?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“We are monitoring the situation on the ground. We have increased our special branch officers to collect intelligence. We are conducting targeted operations to break the cycle and prevent retaliation.”
So, what’s the mood like on the ground in these rival communities after the tragic loss of two innocent lives? Tensions are high, emotions are raw, and grief is being felt across the board. But is the situation so intense that even the Leadership Intervention Unit, the team tasked with calming these conflicts, can’t step in? We put that question to Acting L.I.U. Director Andrew Dawson. His response? Everyone is grieving, and there’s a shared understanding that a line has been crossed, one that should never have been crossed. It’s a sobering moment for all involved.
Andrew Dawson
Andrew Dawson, Acting Director, Leadership Intervention Unit
“I believe the mood is across the board. Everyone is grieving and sad. Ms. Jones was a well-loved person. I don’t think anyone is happy. I must say they are in the mood for grieving. I don’t think they will continue with the acts of violence, especially in innocent people. I believe we do understand there is certain instance we can stop the incident from occurring, but LIU continues its part as the police department continues for convictions and arrest. LIU maintains a presence and try to ensure these individuals are constantly engaged so we can create dialogue and seek peace.”
Paul Lopez
“We know in these streets there is a line you don’t cross, you don’t touch mothers, and helpless individuals. Are we are at a point of no return, where not even the LIU could intervene?”
Andrew Dawson
“I don’t think we are at a point of no return. I believe that if that was the case we would have been living in a very sad Belize. We are not happy btu we are not as sad as yet. I believe these guys understand there is boundaries, lines and these persons in these communities are as upset as we are. You don’t touch mothers, you don’t touch innocent people. That is a crime against humanity. We understand that is a line. It has been crosse din the past before. And I believe those individuals have no intention of continuing that type of engagement within these streets.”
