BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 19, 2020– About 50 foreigners, many Europeans included, attempted to enter Belize from Chetumal on a water taxi, but were prevented from doing so out of concerns about the possible transmission of COVID-19.

The water taxi entered Belize’s waters from Chetumal, Mexico, on Saturday, March 14, and was anchored off the coast of San Pedro. The passengers indicated that they wanted to remain on the boat overnight and were refusing to leave Belizean waters.

They were eventually escorted out of Belize territorial waters by the Belize Coast Guard.

Europe has replaced China as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far, all of the borders of Belize have been closed, except the northern border at Santa Elena and the Philip Goldson International Airport, where some international passengers are trickling in, as almost all major airlines have postponed flights to Belize.

Belize remains the only country in Central America with no case of COVID-19. We all pray it remains so.