BELIZE CITY, Wed. Sept. 29, 2021– In the aftermath of the senseless murder of Dwayne Gabourel, 15, high-profile figures in several of Belize’s warring gangs have stepped forward and indicated their willingness to take steps to reduce the bloodshed in the city. Earlier this week, members of the PIV and Back-a-Land Crips (BLC) — two gangs in the Lake Independence area which have been bitter rivals— held a joint press conference on the KREMANDALA compound to indicate their opposition to the murder of children and to make the public know that they too would like to make a change. The members of those two gangs have been engaged in a reconciliation effort since they addressed some of their grievances during group sessions held while they were detained at the Belize Central Prison under the recent Southside State of Emergency.

This week, on the heels of the murder of Dwayne Gabourel, a truce between two more high-profile Belize City gangs was brokered — reportedly through the efforts of UDP Port Loyola standard bearer, Philip Willoughby, who arranged a meeting between the leader of the Southside Gang (SSG), Alex Underwood, and the Supal Gang leader, Kevin Alvarez. Alvarez was reportedly transported by Willoughby in his Ford Expedition into the territory of the Southside Gang on Caesar Ridge Road, where he and Underwood, who were childhood acquaintances, shook hands.

The men indicated that they want to make an effort to foster cooperation in their community, and one of the ways in which they plan to do that is through sporting activities involving members of both gangs. They are planning a football initiative that will hopefully help the men to spend time together and forge bonds.

Alvarez remarked that the “colors” (which symbolize gang affiliation), are “not [putting] anything on the table” and said that it is time to move past it.