The San Pedro Lions Club is organising a donation drive to assist 12 families that were left homeless after a fire early Sunday morning in San Pedro Town. The fire destroyed two apartment buildings and a garage on Sea Star Street.
In a Facebook post, the Lions Club urged community support, stating, “The San Pedro Lions Club is organising a donation drive to help the 12 families affected by the recent fire… Household items can be dropped off, but only clothes in good condition and good items will be accepted. Monetary donations will also be accepted.”
As previously reported, police rescued four children trapped inside while firefighters battled the flames. No injuries were reported.
Resident Fermin Witzil, 40, claimed that Angela Tun, a Belizean-Mexican national, had previously threatened harm. Tun is now a person of interest in the investigation.
The fire also damaged an SUV and motorcycle parked near the buildings.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Police are investigating the death of Carlos Oscar Luis Lara, a 45-year-old labourer from Benque Viejo, who was found dead on Sunday, December 29, in Maya Ranch, San Ignacio.
Authorities responded around 8:34 a.m. and discovered Lara’s body with multiple chop wounds.
He was transported to the San Ignacio Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Earlier this month it was announced that the European Union (EU), in partnership with the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), launched two new projects to promote inclusive socio-economic development in southern Belize and enhance government border management capacities.
Both projects are valued at BZD 16 million.
One of those projects is the “Effective and Sustainable Management of Belize’s Western and Southern Border” project, with a budget of BZD 7 million. It aims to improve border management, security, and cross-border cooperation. It includes developing a national Strategy for integrated border management, updating conservation plans for forest protection, and strengthening the capacity of border enforcement and conservation agencies through training and equipment.
The announcement was made following a News Five Digital investigation that began in September 2024 and a groundbreaking investigative piece published in early October. The investigation revealed that Guatemalan illegal loggers were bribing Belizean soldiers stationed at conservation posts along the western border with Guatemala for more than five years. The soldiers would allow the illegal loggers to continue harvesting precious wood in Belize. This was confirmed by Belize Defence Force Commander Brigadier General Azariel on November 1.
Soldiers were bribed with many items, including cash and chicken.
The report uncovered serious challenges that soldiers face patrolling the porous border, including outdated communications equipment, poor working conditions, and massive deforestation activities in forest reserves.
The signing ceremony for the projects was held on December 5 in Belize City. In a release, EU Ambassador Dr. Erja Askola said, “This will have a significant transformational potential for new economic prospects in Belize, especially the southern and border areas….We will also support the strengthening of border management, security, and trade facilitation capacities at land and maritime borders, which are all key priorities for Belize”.
Reports emerging from Corozal are that the body of 20-year-old Joshua Hall has been found.
Joshua’s sister, Aiyana Hall, posted on Facebook saying that Joshua was thrown like a dog. “Unu dash Weh my Breda like wa dog unu chance my Breda out a ie life dawg.”
She also posted, “Rest my love. I love you forever. Y’all changed my heart for good.”
Details of where his body was found are still being confirmed.
Joshua went missing on December 23 after signing in at the Corozal Police Station as part of his bail conditions. Records confirmed he signed in at 8:58 a.m., but it was unclear if he left the station. Despite meeting with police and reviewing nearby camera footage, the family found no leads. Hall’s sister, Eden, noted his improved behavior since his release on November 26 and mentioned receiving mysterious blank calls. The family offered a $5,000 reward for information on his whereabouts. Hall was last seen wearing a green shirt, black cargo pants, and Nike flip-flops, riding a pink bicycle.
A woman was assaulted and robbed by two men on a black motorcycle in broad daylight while leaving work in Succotz on Saturday evening, December 28, around 4:30 p.m. In a social media post, 42-year-old Vania Garcia, the victim, said, “I was assaulted and robbed yesterday coming out from work in broad daylight at around 4:30 pm in Succotz.”
According to reports, the passenger brandished a knife as he approached Garcia, resulting in cuts to her arm and back. In her statement, she added that while her injuries were minor, she “lost everything! I’m phoneless! You can only reach me through messenger!”
The robbers stole her wallet, cellphone, taser, and other items, valued at BZD 3,370.
Police reviewed local surveillance footage but found no clear leads. Garcia was treated for her injuries and released.
A fire early Sunday morning on Sea Star Street, San Pedro Town, destroyed two apartment buildings and a garage and left 12 families homeless.
The fire broke out at around 1:30 a.m. and quickly engulfed the buildings. Police reportedly rushed into the burning building to rescue four sleeping children while firefighters battled the flames.
No injuries were reported.
According to resident Fermin Witzil, 40, he heard the loud hissing of gas coming from his downstairs room before an explosion occurred. He reported discovering multiple gas tanks with open valves.
Witzil alleged that Angela Tun, a Belizean-Mexican national, had been living in his room for four days and had previously threatened harm. Tun is now a person of interest in the investigation.
The fire also damaged an SUV and motorcycle parked near the buildings.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Earlier this month, 34-year-old construction worker Dane Percival Neal was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl.
The Belize Police Department has yet to issue an official police report on this matter.
Meanwhile, Placencia residents have taken to Facebook to express their frustration following reports that Neal is out on bail.
One Facebook user condemned the situation, saying Neal “…he perfectly walked free on bail. Smiling and enjoying his time.” The user added, “Things like this need to be dealt with.”
Earlier this month, another user pointed out the community’s tendency to remain silent, saying, “It takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes the silence of a village hurts a child also.”
A week ago, another local posted on Facebook questioning how anyone accused of such a crime could be granted bail. The user added that it is the parents’ “duty to stand up against this” and that “people should be angry about this.”
Reports indicate that the child and her sibling were removed from their home after social services became involved.
The Belize Police Department confirmed minutes ago that an investigation is ongoing regarding an alleged break-in at the Belize Bank Caye Caulker Branch. Authorities were alerted around 8:00 a.m. on Friday after reports of a break-in at the bank on Chapoose Street.
Initial police investigation revealed that a metal door had been forced open, and two other doors had also been tampered with. No items were reported missing from the premises.
Jair Hernandez lives with a tumour on the left side of his brain, which has caused epilepsy and partial paralysis in his right hand and limited mobility in his right foot. Despite these challenges, the 15-year-old is a gold medallist.
In mid-November, Jair was given a hero’s welcome by his proud peers at Mary Hill Roman Catholic School in Corozal Town. He had just returned to Belize after participating in the CODICADER Special Olympic Games in Panama that same month.
Jair did not only participate; he won. He won three gold medals in the 100, 200, and 300 meter dashes in the T 37-38 category for athletes with cerebral palsy.
His mother, Maria Hernandez, cried when she received news that he had won his first gold medal. “I felt so happy, and I started to cry. It was a great blessing. I did not want him to go because he suffers from that tumour and because of the epilepsy, and I thought about all the bad things that can happen to him there. But I said that this must have a purpose, so I let him go, and when they told me that he won, I was so excited. I cried.”
Hernandez said that Jair had difficulty walking until he was almost five years old due to the severe fever during infancy. His tumour and epilepsy were only diagnosed when he was 12 years old, after he began experiencing episodes of confusion and disorientation. “The doctor told me that they couldn’t perform the surgery because the tumour was already big. That is what caused the epilepsy. He can’t move his arm and his foot.”
An emotional Hernandez shared that she often worried about what sort of life her son would live. “As a mom, I thought about what would happen to him. What kind of future he would have, but seeing that he won, that he won three gold medals, I think that he has a lot of opportunities.”
Guillermo Pech is the principal of Mary Hill RC School. Pech explained that Jair has been a blessing to the school since he enrolled. According to Pech, Jair’s selection came after participating in a program where students were given watches to count their steps over a period of time. Based on the data, Jair, being one of the most active students at the school, was chosen for the honour. “He has been a very active and sports-oriented student in special-ed. So, he has always been an active student when it comes to those disciplines. When we got the word that he was selected to represent Belize in Panama, it was great news.”
Following the announcement, Jair’s training intensified, with more time spent running laps during physical education classes, with the support of his family and the school. Once Jair left for Panama, Pech remained in contact with his parents and the person accompanying him.
The news came in waves: Jair won his first gold medal, then a second, and finally, a third. Pech described this as an overwhelming and joyous series of events for the school.
“He got the first gold medal, and that was already, you know, huge. And then we heard he got a second, and then a third, and then, wow, that was even more, you know, great news,” Pech said.
The student body rallied behind Jair. They received updates and pictures from the event in Panama, which they shared on the school’s Facebook page. When Jair returned, the school celebrated him like a hero, organising a motorcade and a special welcome ceremony despite ongoing flooding that had caused interruptions in classes.
Jair has always been determined. Pech said that Jair is one of the few students at the school with a disability who has been integrated into the regular football team. “So our school is the first team that has given him the opportunity to actually play normal games like any other student. But now he is there winning gold; I mean, that is something that’s just a great example of, you know, what it means to, despite having obstacles, a person can achieve whatever they want. So for us, he is a great example. He is like a hero. He’s like someone that would tell us, you know, go for it, and you can do it. There’s nothing that shouldn’t be done.”
And Jair got it done. With the help of his father, Jair trained every day since being selected. He said, “I ran; I trained every day. I ran from here (Xaibe) to Calcutta every day.” That’s about 3.8 kilometres. He said it took him about 20 minutes to do so.
“I felt happy, even happier when I won three medals,” said Jair. He wants to further his education and become an engineer. He also had some advice for other children with disabilities: “To the other children like me, continue struggling; don’t give up.” For their parents to support them. We can be great.”
Jair was honoured and recognised by the Ministry of Sports with a certificate and money. The Belize Association for Persons with Diverse Abilities (BAPDA) recognised him with the Point of Light Award.
The family has faced significant financial strain, with medical expenses including doctor visits, medication, and specialised scans. They are seeking support for Jair’s ongoing medical and educational needs.
The National Association of Village Councils, NAVCO, has called for prayers for Samuel Mendoza, Chairman of Unitedville Village, who is currently in a coma in the ICU after an accident.
NAVCO Belize shared on Facebook that Mendoza “Yesterday, on the line of duty as Chairman, he had an accident while cleaning the water reservoir of the village and is now in a critical condition at KHMH.”
NAVCO Belize urged the community to pray for his recovery, stating, “We ask you all to please pray for him to pull through this and continue serving his people and providing for his family.”
