Cartel‑Linked Belizean Arrested in Houston

The arrest of Belizean national Benigno Loria in Houston is now raising uncomfortable questions about just how deeply transnational criminal networks may be reaching into Belize. U.S. immigration authorities detained Loria on Tuesday, and while American law enforcement sources online link him to the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Belizean officials have not confirmed those ties. Still, the news has reignited long‑standing fears about cartel influence in the region. Former Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told us today that Loria didn’t appear out of nowhere, he had been on Belize’s radar for some time because of suspected connections to organized groups in Mexico, a reminder, he says, of why cross‑border cooperation remains critical in keeping Belize’s security landscape stable.

 

Chester Williams, Former Commissioner of Police

“I don’t want to comment much about it at this time, but certainly, yes, he was on our radar and we have indeed gathered information that he was connected to one of the cartel groups in Mexico. And so when I saw the news that he was captured, it was no surprise to me. He flee, believes for whatever reason and he went to the USA, I believe he was seeking asylum. I am not sure if how far he got with that. But like you write the reported, he’s now in the custody state of the US authorities, and it’s a matter for them to deal with now.”

 

Williams says Loria’s capture comes as no surprise to law enforcement here, given that Belizean authorities had already linked him to a Mexican cartel long before U.S. agents took him into custody.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: