Home Affairs Determined to Restore Peace Down South

A surge in violent crime across southern Belize is stirring anxiety among villagers and the Belize Police Department. At the center of the chaos is an ongoing drug war between criminal groups in Bella Vista Village and neighboring communities. The New Year’s Eve mass shooting in Independence Village is the latest attack linked to this deadly feud, shattering the sense of security for families in the area. Police have issued wanted posters for the men believed to be involved in that shooting, Santos Chirinos and Dixon Caceres. From home invasions and armed robberies to brutal killings, the violence is escalating, and residents are demanding swift action. We asked Minister of Home Affairs Oscar Mira what the government’s plan is to curb this growing wave of crime.

 

Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs

“In Bella Vista right now we have already deployed extra patrols. We have a new police station is going to be built. That work has already started and that police station is going to have all the units that are required of a fully functioning police station. We’re going to have G-I-Three. We’re gonna have Special Branch. We going to have CIB, community based policing. All the units that are in one of those bigger police stations will be held there. And we have also have more patrols along the Southern highway as well. So we are working in having more intelligence-based operations happening and in the future we expect that we will get things under control in that area.”

 

Shane Williams

Is it particularly difficult in smaller communities where in these recent crime in the motive was identified as a drug feud, is it difficult to battle drug trade in these small communities?

 

Oscar Mira

“It always difficult to do that anywhere in the Belize. Drugs bring money and when money’s involved there are many people that get involved and benefit from this. So it is not an easy job for the police department. However, we have we have met and we have a strategy in place to ensure that we work before it gets out of hand. Before it reaches to a time where we won’t be able to get a grip of it.

The community involvement with the latest shootings that happened, the community has been very forthcoming. And with that, I’m sure that we are going to solve the issues and solve that shooting that happened in Mango Creek. So I urge the community, get in touch with the police, we are here to protect you. We are here to work along side you.”