UDP Criticizes Government Vetting Amid Rocha Cantu Fallout

The recent controversy surrounding Raul Rocha Cantu, a Mexican billionaire under investigation for serious criminal activities, has sparked heated debate in Belize. Despite being linked to fuel and arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and even organized crime, reports surfaced that Rocha secured a strategic position in Belize’s investment landscape. In May 2025 Rocha’s Legacy Group issued a release stating that, quote, The private consortium leading the Dangriga Port Project is proud to announce the formal engagement of Legacy Holding, a Mexico-based investment and development group, to spearhead the conceptual and technical oversight of the new state-of-the-art port facility in Dangriga, end quote. That release came months after the Prime Minister met with Rocha to discuss “opportunities for trade and investment”. Southern Deep Port Development Limited has since issued its own statement saying that while it had discussions with Legacy Holdings, based on their interest in investment opportunities in Belize, no business or investment partnership was established. The company says the information on Legacy Holdings’ website was unauthorized. But the UDP is still looking at the issue critically, arguing that the government is not doing its due diligence to vet potential foreign investors.

 

Godwin Haylock, Area Representative, Queen Square

“The reality is that this government is in a feeding frenzy to eat up every business opportunity for themselves. Let’s take latest businessman, Raul Rocha Cantu, a Mexican mega millionaire. He is known to be under investigation from 2024, by Mexico’s specialized prosecutors’ office. He is under investigation for fuel and arms trafficking and drug smuggling. He was previously associated with organized criminal elements tied to the tragic Casino Royal attack in Monterey which claims the lives of fifty-two people. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not just me saying it. This was reported in November this year. Yet Mr. Rocha Cantu has been able to enter Belize’s investment ecosystem as a strategic investor and position himself in the major port in Dangriga dubbed the Dangriga Deep Water Port Project. Ask yourselves this, why would any responsible government knowingly engage with an individual who is being sought by Mexican authorities The answer is simple, the government is so hungry for new foreign investment that no due diligence is being done. Nothing turned up from the FIU, nothing turned up from the special branch, nothing suspicious turned up from anywhere. That is because this government does not care who you are, only how tall your pocket is.”