Two-Year Refugee Deal Raises Questions About Belize-U.S. Relations

On Tuesday, Belize’s Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca inked a new deal with the United States, one that’s stirring up plenty of questions. The agreement, which will run for two years, is designed to strengthen refugee protections and ensure safe, dignified transfers for third-country nationals seeking asylum. In plain terms, it sets out how Belize will handle protection requests from Central American and Caribbean nationals, though Guatemalans are notably excluded. But there are several questions that remain unanswered. Was Belize pressured by Washington to sign this deal? How does it fit into our broader foreign policy and relationship with the U.S.? And why was this agreement signed behind closed doors, without public consultation or even a parliamentary debate? The details of the pact remain under wraps, leaving many to wonder: what exactly are the terms, and why aren’t they being disclosed? Earlier today, the United Democratic Party weighed in during its bi-weekly press conference, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability surrounding this agreement.

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“This agreement, as we all know, was signed in Belmopan on October twentieth and it has far-reaching implications for our national sovereignty, our border security and for our already fragile social infrastructure. This agreement which intends to provide a safe holding space for asylum seekers to the United States was signed quietly, without public consultation, without parliamentary debate and without full disclosure of its terms. This agreement, by its very nature, can reshape Belize’s immigration and asylum systems and impose new financial burdens on taxpayers in an already overtaxed reality. Let me hasten to say, before I am misunderstood, that Belize has always enjoyed strong, friendly, diplomatic relations with the United States. This is a partnership we desire to maintain in the mutual interest of citizens in both countries, but this lack of disclosure by the Government of Belize to the people of Belize on matters of this magnitude has become, regrettably, the hallmark of the Briceno administration.”