by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. July 6, 2023

The Belizean Government’s recent move to impose stricter travel restrictions on Jamaican and Haitian nationals visiting the country has triggered debates on an international scale. The decision, according to Belizean officials, was a strategic measure to reduce the recent spike in immigration-related violations and offenses.

These escalated controls require all Jamaican and Haitian visitors to secure visas before their arrival in Belize, a shift from the previous policy that allowed visa-free entry. The decision was unveiled earlier this year, and has since drawn both criticism and support from various quarters.

In defense of the decision, the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Gilroy Middleton highlighted that this is not an arbitrary decision aimed at discriminating against any particular nationality, but rather a calculated move to protect Belize’s sovereignty.

According to Middleton, there have been close to 2,000 Haitians and close to 900 Jamaicans that have passed through the country and simply disappeared.

The Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño weighed in on the matter, backing the measures put in place as talk of violation of the Treaty of Chaguaramas began to surface. “We do not take such decisions lightly. But of late, we’ve been seeing a trend where a lot of Haitians – and rightly so – they are trying to get out of a really bad situation in Haiti – finding ways how to get to the United States,” he stated.

Despite these explanations from Belizean officials, the decision has drawn criticism. Some have raised concerns over the potential for the restrictions to stoke anti-immigrant sentiments and prejudice, potentially straining diplomatic relations between Belize, Jamaica and Haiti.

But Belize has made it clear that it continues to welcome both Haitian and Jamaican visitors that enter the country legally. A good example of this is the case, just a few weeks ago, when asylum seekers, a group of 13 Haitian girls, entered the country with their legal Canadian guardians. They are now registered asylum seekers, scheduled for interviews at the Ministry of Immigration.