Belize Still Weighing Risks and Rewards of Tren Maya

It’s a project that could have major impacts on trade and tourism in the region and its all the buzz in Belize, Mexico and Guatemala. Mexico’s Tren Maya project plans to make Belize and Guatemala the next stop but not everyone is on board. While the project has potential to boost Belize’s ties with its Central American neighbors, it also comes with additional risks. We asked Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca, if any significant updates regarding the project have been made following a trilateral meeting between the three countries last week.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“Very preliminary stage. What was done at the meeting was that a presentation was made by Mexico about the status of that project. So they made that presentation to both. The delegations from Belize and Guatemala. And we agree that the technical teams would then follow up to discuss the way forward. So there’s a lot of work to be done there. There is no, no. Formal agreement that Belize will join Tren Maya. That has not been made. We are going to do analysis. We’re going to discuss it. Obviously, that will require a lot of discussion here in Belize and analysis here in Belize before we reach that point. But it’s something that we are interested in, we’re looking at. But of course we have to take into account all of. Our environmental circumstances, our environment and many other issues. So a comprehensive discussion would have to take place with all of our stakeholders before we advance with any such agreement.”