BDF Commander plans bolstering security presence at Northern Border following threat by cartel

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Commander of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), Brig. Gen Azariel Loria has indicated that Belize will bolster security presence at the Northern Border following the alleged threat by Caborca Cartel.

This week, a banner circulated on social media purportedly coming from the Cartel threatening that the “turf” at the “Hondo river and the Free Zone in Belize is theirs.”

Since then, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that Belizean authorities are aware of cartel operatives in Belize.

“We know that we do have operatives in Belize who are on the side of the cartels, we know that, and I’m not going to into details in terms of our operational strategies but certainly as a part thereof is to make sure we target those persons we believe are operating in Belize for the cartels, and I’ll leave it at that,” Williams said.

BDF Commander Loria says that the BDF continues to support the police in their operations.

“We were there because we are always in support. The police always conduct their internal operations. They have the mandate or the or the authority to conduct arrests. We could do detentions. We will always be in support and hand over. If we detain anybody, we must hand over whoever it is that is committing the crimes to to the police department, and they will be responsible to do the remainder, the prosecution,” Loria said.

Loria also said that Belizean law enforcement authorities were aware of the Caborca Cartel operations since May of 2023.

“This this Caborca Cartel is something that we got wind of from last year in May. I do remember that we went to Mexico to inform the cabinet, the National Security Council, about such problematic in close to our northern border in their case it’s the southern border, which they referred us to, to the state of Quintana Roo and the military that was here, and to conduct more meetings,” Loria stated.

Loria says that the turf war between the cartels could spread to Belize, into Belizean territory.

“We have been conducting operations from last year in May, June, July thereabout, and we continue to do so. And most naturally, if the Mexican armed forces bolstered their security in Quintana Roo in the state of Chetumal, we have to ensure that our security presence is increased. And we have been doing that with the police department as well,” Loria added.

Loria says that the plans are to bolster security along the border.

“We at present with the police department and us, it’s a significant amount of personnel that we have in the border, along the border, and we do intend to bolster it. So, it is just for our safety precautions and the reassure the Belizean public that we are not standing idly by,” Loria explained.

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