BELIZE CITY, Wed. Dec. 2, 2020– Following this past Sunday’s “spat” in San Vicente Village, Toledo District, between villagers and Belize Defence Force soldiers, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has said that some residents will be charged for quarantine violations.
The confrontation occurred in the evening after the soldiers confiscated a football that was being used by six boys playing at a nearby field. Under the quarantine regulations, contact sports are prohibited.
The village chairman later visited the soldiers, who were staying at the community center, to retrieve the ball, and that was when the situation escalated.
Juan Ca’al, spokesperson for the village chairman, accused the officers of being under the influence of alcohol, which he claimed was purchased by the soldiers across the border in Guatemala.
Today, Commander of the BDF, Brigadier General Steven Ortega, told us that the villagers “cried foul,” knowing that boys of the village were in violation of quarantine regulations.
He also dismissed the allegations that the officers bought liquor in Guatemala: “We had a situation develop where we’re enforcing COVID regulations. And the villagers weren’t too happy with it. And they got aggressive. And because we considered more law enforcement, we call in the police from Punta Gorda, and we sent out additional troops, from what I can.
“And we left that in the hands of the police, because it is now a law enforcement issue… As you know, our patrols go out and there are eight men. How do you send eight men to go across the border [to buy liquor]? Because if one or two go, the rest will talk; somebody will talk from that patrol. So that’s why we normally maintain that patrol integrity. And that’s what keeps us honest,” he said.
While the incident has frayed the relationship between the soldiers and the community, General Ortega said, “Our commander in the south [of the country] has already established communication down there [San Vicente Village], and they’re having discussions to ensure that we continue to remain professional on either side, and understand that each one of us has our mandate to conduct, and we will continue to do what we have to do to ensure the national sovereignty of Belize and all our rules and laws are enforced.”