CCJ Ends Oversight in Maya Land Rights Case

A decade-long legal battle over Maya land rights has reached a turning point. The Caribbean Court of Justice has officially ended its ten-year monitoring role in the implementation of the historic 2015 Consent Order, an agreement that recognized the land rights of Belize’s indigenous Maya people. But while the court says progress has been made, Maya leaders aren’t celebrating. Attorney Leslie Mendez expressed deep disappointment, accusing the government of dragging its feet and acting in bad faith throughout the process. On the other side, government attorney Andrew Marshalleck says the challenge has been finding balance, protecting Maya land rights while also considering other Belizeans. Justice Winston Anderson closed the hearing with a powerful reminder: these rights are not museum pieces, but tools for dignity, development, and peaceful coexistence.