Mexican Government Invests Millions to Rebuild Old Border Bridge

Belizeans who frequently cross into Mexico will soon see major changes at one of the country’s busiest border points. Mexican authorities have announced plans to completely rebuild the ageing Río Hondo International Bridge, which links northern Belize with southern Mexico.

The bridge, located in the Mexican border village of Subteniente López, just outside Chetumal, is more than 60 years old. It will be demolished and rebuilt as part of a 42.7 million pesos, roughly 4.7 million Belize dollars, project funded by the government of Mexico.

Officials say the new structure will be wider and safer, expanding from nine metres to thirteen metres to improve the flow of vehicles and pedestrians crossing between the two countries.

Construction is expected to take six months, with the bridge scheduled to reopen before the end of 2026.

During construction, immigration services will be temporarily relocated to the nearby Chactemal International Bridge, also known as Subteniente López II, where Regional Visitor Cards will be processed and cross-border traffic managed.

According to Mara Lezama, Governor of Mexico’s border state of Quintana Roo, the project aims to improve trade and tourism in southern Quintana Roo while strengthening economic ties with Belize.