A few minutes ago, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a concession speech at Howard University in Washington, DC., following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. In her address, Harris acknowledged the emotions of her supporters, saying, “Now I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it. But we must accept the results of this election.”
She shared that she had called President-elect Trump to concede the race. She said, “We will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
While conceding the election, Harris vowed to continue fighting for causes central to her campaign. “I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions, and aspirations,” she declared. She also reiterated her commitment to protecting women’s rights and addressing gun violence, saying, “The women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do. We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and our streets from gun violence.”
Harris called on her supporters to remain respectful and kind, urging them to continue the fight for “fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”
On Malaria Day in the Americas, the Ministry of Health and Wellness highlighted Belize’s success in becoming malaria-free, with the World Health Organization (WHO) officially certifying the country on June 19, 2023. Belize has now gone nearly six years without local transmission, reporting its last case in December 2018.
The Ministry of Health shared, “Today we join in the celebration of Malaria Day in the Americas. The day is used to raise an important opportunity for countries of this region to engage various stakeholders in aggressively fighting malaria.”
The theme this year is ‘Expanding access to malaria diagnosis and treatment without barriers.”
Belize’s efforts include a robust malaria diagnosis network with 8 malaria laboratories, 10 microscopists, and 362 community-level testing sites, 223 of which offer both microscopic diagnosis and rapid diagnostic tests.
The Ministry also expressed its appreciation for the collaboration of malaria volunteers, health workers, and regional partners like the Pan American Health Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank.
This year marks the 18th annual Malaria Day in the Americas.
Donald Trump secured his presidential victory after running a campaign heavily focused on a tough stance against immigration. Central to his platform was a promise to enforce stricter immigration policies, including mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. His rhetoric resonated with many of his supporters, who view immigration reform as a key national security issue. However, his hardline approach has raised concerns among immigrant communities, particularly those seeking asylum or already residing in the United States, fearing the impact of potential mass deportations under his administration.
Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca, was asked this morning about Trump’s stance on immigration and its potential impact on Belizeans, particularly those who recently sought asylum in the U.S. Fonseca acknowledged the president’s campaign statements but stressed the importance of waiting to see what actual policies are implemented. “The president during his campaign made certain, I think, policy statements about you know. I don’t think that all of the United States is in a position on immigration. Of course, you know, you have to wait and see what actually happens. But I think, you know, everyone knows that one of the great attributes of the United States of America is that it’s a country of laws. It’s a country that has demonstrated over centuries its commitment to the rule of law.”
He also noted that undocumented immigrants might naturally feel anxious about their status, but Belizeans should not live in fear under the new government. “I don’t think that Belizeans who are living there should be in fear. Obviously, if you’re an illegal immigrant, I expect that you’re always a bit anxious about your status, so I guess that will continue. But we certainly hope that the new administration coming in will fully, as we expect, fully abide by laws, international laws, as well as their own domestic laws. And, of course, always treat immigrants with respect and dignity.”
Reflecting on the past, Fonseca stated that during Trump’s previous term in office, Belize maintained good relations with the U.S. and has continued to enjoy strong ties during President Biden’s administration. He expects the relationship with the upcoming Trump administration to remain positive, given the shared goals between the two countries, particularly in addressing regional challenges such as security, narcotrafficking, human trafficking, and crime.
Hurricane Rafael intensified into a Category 3 storm on Wednesday afternoon as it passed by the Cayman Islands, heading toward western Cuba, where it was expected to make landfall by evening. According to the National Hurricane Center, Rafael was forecast to strengthen even further before reaching Cuba, marking another challenge for the island, which is already grappling with power outages and recovering from a previous hurricane that killed at least six people in the eastern region two weeks ago.
As of 1 p.m. Eastern time, Rafael was classified as a low-end Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour after a period of steady growth. The hurricane was located about 40 miles northeast of the Isle of Youth and 85 miles south of Havana, moving northwest at 14 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Forecasters warned that Rafael could hit Cuba as a potential Category 4 storm, bringing life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding to western parts of the island. The hurricane had already caused heavy rainfall in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday. I
A hurricane warning for the Cayman Islands, in effect on Tuesday, was lifted for Grand Cayman on Wednesday. However, the warning remained in place for Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca said that Belize congratulates Donald Trump on winning the 2024 US president elections. Fonseca said, “We look forward to working with his administration.” Fonseca added that the Belize government looks forward to continuing to strengthen the important relationship between the two nations. He said Belize is committed to working closely with any U.S. president and administration to advance their mutual needs and interests. “We expect to have a good, strong working relationship and partnership with his administration.”
Fonseca said that the US and Belize have shared goals in addressing regional challenges such as security issues, human trafficking and narco trafficking. “Those are shared goals, so I expect us to have a very good working relationship.”
Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory. Harris discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power with Trump ahead of her planned concession speech Wednesday afternoon.
Congress is scheduled to meet on Jan. 6, 2025, to count the Electoral College results, and Mr. Trump is set to be sworn into office two weeks later, on Jan. 20. Presidents’ terms always begin that day under a presidential succession timeline set by the Constitution.
A man has been detained in connection with a stabbing incident. The investigation began after officers responded to a report at the Phillip Goldson International Airport on Tuesday, November 5, around 3:57 p.m. Upon arrival, they learnt that an altercation between two airport employees had escalated into violence, resulting in one of them being injured.
Initial reports indicate that 19-year-old Jovanni Ismael McKenzie and 27-year-old Darvin Sutherland, both Belizean ramp agents residing in the Belize District, were involved in a disagreement that led to McKenzie being stabbed in the face. McKenzie was taken for medical treatment, while Sutherland remains in police custody. The investigation is ongoing.
Police are investigating a case where a family member allegedly sexually assaulted a female minor. The ongoing investigation commenced when a woman and her child reported to police that on Tuesday, November 5, at about 5:30 p.m., while at home her grandfather had sexual relations with her. A medical examination was conducted on the minor, and at the conclusion, the doctor certified the child was carnally known.
Belize’s sugar industry has received a major boost after the UK confirmed that it will maintain its current sugar import policies. This includes keeping the Autonomous Tariff Quota (ATQ) for raw cane sugar at 260,000 tonnes for 2025, which allows Belize to continue exporting sugar to the UK at a 0% tariff rate. The announcement was presented in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Osmond Martinez, stated, “The UK’s commitment to preserving this vital access reaffirms the importance of Belize’s cane farmers, whose contributions support not only the economy but the livelihoods of thousands of Belizean families.” The sugar industry is one of Belize’s major sources of income, directly employing around 12,000 people and indirectly supporting 50,000 more in the northern districts.
This decision follows consultations between Belize and the UK government. Belize’s sugar exports will continue to enjoy duty-free, quota-free access under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The UK has also pledged to continue discussions with Caribbean nations about future sugar policies, with the possibility of reviewing changes for 2026 and beyond.
Belize continues taking bold steps to accelerate its climate and biodiversity conservation efforts. At the recent COP 16 conference in Cali, Colombia, the country secured crucial funding for environmental preservation and continued to advocate for innovative solutions to address the global funding gap for biodiversity.
Christopher Coye, Belize’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, addressed the critical role of natural capital in closing the financing gap needed to protect the world’s ecosystems. “Biodiversity loss is accelerating, and an estimated $20 billion in annual funding is needed to protect natural ecosystems worldwide…However, current funding stands at just $400 million—only a fraction of what’s required to drive meaningful progress,” he said.
Belize has been at the forefront of these efforts, leading successful initiatives like the 2021 Blue Bond, which secured private investment for marine and coastal conservation. Minister Coye also shared that Belize is advancing a new blended finance model, set to be finalised by 2025.
Donald Trump, 78, was declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election early Wednesday, surpassing the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency. Trump won key swing states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina, bringing his total to 277 electoral votes.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who was running to become the first woman of colour to lead the country, did not address her supporters on election night. Campaign spokesman Cedric Richmond explained, “We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue, overnight, to fight to make sure that every vote is counted and that every voice has spoken.”
Harris has not yet spoken publicly or conceded. She is expected to speak later today after the final vote tallies. Harris cancelled an appearance on election night at Howard University, where she studied as an undergraduate, as the race tightened.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago watch party, Trump promised a “golden age” for America and declared, “This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again.”
