We are informed that the representative for the cambiadores out West, Moises Martinez, plans to visit the relevant Government officials in Belmopan on Monday in order to try to persuade them to change their minds about shutting down the money changing operations.

The Central Bank of Belize announced this week that it would shut down cambio operations across the country as of Monday, July 11. The notice further said that currencies could only be sold by the domestic commercial banks, the Postmaster General, the Accountant General and the Belize Global Travel Services. The notice mentioned the trading of US currency, but did not explicitly say that those who trade in pesos and quetzales would be affected.

Speaking with Amandala tonight, a Benque Viejo resident, who told us that he has been a moneychanger?and nothing else?for the last 15 years, said that cambiadores in that area only heard rumors two to three days ago that they would no longer be able to sell quetzales at the border. He told us that in all, there are about 25 cambiadores at the Western border. They had met and discussed the situation, and hope to meet again on Sunday, he said.

We were not able to speak with the cambiadores from the Santa Elena border, but are told by our sources there that about 30 cambiadores would be affected at the Northern border.

We understand that commercial banks would set up money-changing stations at the borders.

The cambiadores had managed to stave off government?s attempts about three years ago to shut them down, but they have since been limited to designated areas at the borders, out of which they have been conducting their operations.

Prior to that, moneychangers roamed around border centers and traded their currencies freely at negotiable rates.