BELIZE CITY, Mon. Jan. 24, 2022– It was announced back in December of last year by Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and National Security, Hon. Oscar Mira, that Brigadier General Steven Ortega, Commander of the Belize Defence Force, would be retiring and Deputy Commander Colonel Azariel Loria would be appointed to the vacant post.

On Friday, January 21, then-Deputy Commander Colonel Azariel Loria was sworn in as the BDF’s new Brigadier General. The change of command took place at the commemoration of the forty-fourth anniversary of the Belize Defence Force at the Sir Colville Young Parade Square at Price Barracks.

“I am honored to be with you today to celebrate two significant milestones for the B.D.F. – its forty-fourth anniversary in service to the people of Belize and the change of command from Brigadier General Steven Ortega to Brigadier General Azariel Loria. I am honored, more so that even amidst the military pomp and ceremony, General Loria is fully aware that he is here to serve this nation and to uphold our democratic principles and our values which are rooted in our peaceful, constructive, progressive, and authentic Belizean revolution,” said Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño, during an address he delivered at the ceremony.

When Brigadier General Loria addressed those in attendance at the ceremony, he said that under his command the Belize Defence Force will be operating with humility, and ethical and moral values.

“The B.D.F. shall be robust and agile to incorporate new technology, embrace change and develop its human resources and capabilities to contribute to the stability, security, and prosperity of Belize. It is my intent to make good use of the senior leadership in building the team, because it is not about me, but only from the strength and wisdom of the team that we will achieve that dynamism needed to keep improving and moving the force forward,” he said.