The Belize + Cuba Solidarity Organisation has condemned the latest US actions targeting Cuba’s international medical missions. In a statement issued on Friday, February 28, the group stated, “We stand in unwavering solidarity with Cuba and its international medical missions,” and criticised the US’s decision to impose expanded visa restrictions on individuals associated with Cuba’s medical programs.
They argued that the U.S. measures undermine these professionals’ humanitarian work and jeopardise the health of those relying on their care. “The Cuban medical brigade has been providing invaluable healthcare services in Belize for 34 years. Their presence and expertise have significantly improved the health outcomes for many Belizeans,” it added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new policy on February 25, 2025, targeting Cuban government officials and foreign partners linked to Cuba’s overseas medical missions. “Cuba continues to profit from the forced labour of its workers,” Rubio stated.
According to Reuters, Cuban officials, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, have rejected these accusations, calling them unjustified and politically motivated. Rodríguez criticised Rubio’s actions, saying, “Once again, Marco Rubio puts his personal agenda before the US interests,” reported Reuters.
The Belize organisation has called for an end to these “coercive measures” and renewed its call to lift the Cuban embargo and remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. “We reiterate our call for the immediate lifting of the embargo on Cuba and the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. These actions have caused significant hardship for the Cuban people and have hindered their ability to thrive and engage with the global community,” Belize + Cuba Solidarity added in its statement.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has condemned a recent incursion by Venezuela into Guyana’s territorial waters, calling it an act of aggression that violates international law and the 2023 Argyle Declaration.
According to CARICOM, Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, informed the regional bloc that Venezuelan military vessels engaged with one of Guyana’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platforms on March 1, 2025. CARICOM described the incident as provocative and a direct contradiction to the commitment by both nations to maintain peace in the region.
The organisation reaffirmed its unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, urging Venezuela to immediately withdraw from Guyana’s waters and refrain from any further interference with the FPSO platforms. CARICOM also emphasised that the ongoing border dispute should be resolved through the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has jurisdiction over the matter.
“What is required now, more than ever, is patience, calm and non-provocation, on both sides,” the statement read, adding that a peaceful resolution remains possible without escalatory actions.
CARICOM, alongside the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), remains committed to ensuring the Caribbean remains a Zone of Peace.
The Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct autopsies on the bodies of three Revere women who were recently found dead in a Belize hotel to determine their exact cause of death, according to Boston 25 News.
Authorities in Belize confirmed that the three women died of acute pulmonary oedema. Fire Chief Colin Gillett stated carbon monoxide poisoning has been ruled out. Investigators are now examining whether controlled substances were involved. The cause leading to the pulmonary oedema remains under investigation.
Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe has urged caution against premature conclusions and is calling for greater transparency in the investigation. “To jump to that conclusion is extremely disrespectful to the family,” Keefe said. “I know it’s impacting them immensely, and I know it’s something they are upset about.”
The families of the victims plan to arrange private autopsies once the bodies are returned to the United States. Meanwhile, Keefe is working with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey’s office to ensure a thorough investigation in Belize.
This story was updated to say that it was Fire Chief Colin Gillett who stated that carbon monoxide was ruled out. ComPol Chester Williams also has gone on record to say this.
Plus TV’s Ljay Wade says he was assaulted by police officers while he was covering a drowning incident at Guanacaste Park in Belmopan. He says that the officers threw him against a vehicle and demanded that he delete footage from his phone.
While Wade has chosen not to file an official police report, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that the Belize Police Department is still investigating the matter. Williams told reporters that such actions are unacceptable and must be addressed.
“To assault a member of the media while conducting your duties is intolerable, so we must find a way to address it. I just won’t dismiss,” Williams said.
Williams stressed that police officers have no authority to force journalists to delete footage. “I will reiterate the fact that the media does have the right to be out there and to take photos or videos of the scene so long as they’re not doing so with a view to obstruct the work of the police.”
In 2023, Belize amended its Criminal Code to classify assaults against journalists and public officers as aggravated assault, a more serious offence.
Nineteen-year-old Dennis Jimenez walked free from court after murder charges against him were dropped in connection with the 2022 killing of 35-year-old businesswoman Vanessa Acevedo. Acevedo was shot dead while closing her establishment in Ladyville when a gunman demanded money. Despite her cooperation, he pulled the trigger, fatally wounding her.
Jimenez, who was 17 at the time, had been charged with her murder. However, three years later, the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi after the prosecution’s key witness recanted their statement. The witness, who had previously provided a statement implicating Jimenez, testified in court that they did not see anything on the day of the murder and could not identify the shooter.
Justice Derick Sylvester ruled that the caution statement and interview notes were inadmissible as evidence against Jimenez. With no further evidence to proceed, the case was dismissed. Jimenez was represented by attorney Leroy Banner.
Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali has strongly condemned an incursion by a Venezuelan naval vessel into Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) early Saturday morning, calling it a “matter of grave concern.”
According to President Ali, a Venezuelan armed patrol ship entered Guyanese waters at approximately 7:00 AM on March 1, 2025. The vessel approached multiple assets, including the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel Prosperity. Identified by its visible markings, the patrol ship was confirmed to be a Venezuelan Coast Guard vessel, designated BF Will Carry PO-11 IMO 4695542.
During the incident, the Venezuelan vessel transmitted a radio message claiming that Prosperity was operating in “disputed international waters” before continuing its course southwest toward other FPSOs. However, President Ali firmly stated that Guyana’s maritime boundaries are recognised under international law, and the government is treating the situation with the seriousness it demands.
Guyana has already summoned the Venezuelan ambassador to register its strong protest and has instructed its embassy in Caracas to lodge a formal complaint with the Venezuelan government. President Ali also confirmed that Guyana has engaged its international allies, including the United Kingdom, France, the United States, CARICOM, and Brazil, all of whom have responded positively. Additionally, regional partners, including the chair of CARICOM and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, are actively engaging with Venezuela on the matter.
The president has briefed the opposition leader and will meet with him later today as more details emerge. Meanwhile, Guyana’s Defence Board and military leadership have convened emergency meetings, and air and naval assets have been deployed to secure the country’s EEZ. The government also intends to formally notify the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations Secretary-General, the Commonwealth, and the Organisation of American States (OAS) of the incident.
President Ali made it clear that threats to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will not be tolerated. He assured the Guyanese people that the government is acting with diligence and will provide further updates as necessary.
Mexican authorities discovered the bodies of five men near the Rio Hondo River in Sacxan, Quintana Roo, early Saturday morning. Belize police believe two of the victims are Belizeans from Corozal with known ties to Mexican cartels.
Reports indicate that the Belizeans had been evading law enforcement. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, but sources confirm they were 18 and 27 years old and wanted for multiple crimes in Corozal.
The bodies showed signs of torture, each with a gunshot wound to the head. Two of the bodies had cardboard signs placed on them. One message, translated from Spanish, warned against extortion and theft, stating, “This is for all those who are charging protection fees and those who do not allow businesses like cigarette vendors… Stop stealing. Sincerely, you know who.”
Tonight, the University of Belize community is in mourning after a tragic drowning incident claimed the lives of two students on Thursday afternoon. The victims, twenty-two-year-old Henry Osorio and nineteen-year-old Alexander Munoz were both undergraduate biology majors. They were socializing with friends at the riverside in Guanacaste Park when their friends noticed that the pair hadn’t resurfaced from the water for over twenty minutes. This prompted them to alert the authorities. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the full report.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Today, the University of Belize’s flag flies at half-mast as students and faculty mourn the loss of Henry Osorio and Alexander Munoz. These promising biology majors were on track to graduate with their bachelor’s degrees, but their lives were tragically cut short in a drowning incident at Guanacaste Park. Staff reported that Osorio, Munoz, and two female friends arrived around two p.m., but sadly, they were found dead less than three hours later. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has more on this unfortunate incident.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Upon arrival there, met two females in a frantic state. Those females told the police that the two male counterparts had gone under the water and had not resurfaced. Based on not the police conducting some searches in the area and the two male individuals were found and taken from the water, but by then it was too late. They were already without life. Based on that they were taken to the hospital and they were pronounced dead on arrival. The information we gathered so far is that the four of them were socialized, two male and two female, and one of the male person went into the water to take a swim and he began to drift away. And then the other one went to rescue him and he also drifted away. And then they would both submerge and did not resurface.”
The Guanacaste Park swimming area is a favorite spot for both tourists and locals, with an entry fee of just a dollar. Police reported that the group had been drinking alcohol, which is allowed in the area. Zoe Sutherland, a friend and classmate of Alex Munoz, fondly remembers the happy times they shared at the riverside.
Zoe Sutherland
Zoe Sutherland, Friend of Deceased
“We skipped chem and he’s like, let me show you the river. And this was like five because we had a very late chem class. So we left and we stopped by the store. We got some snacks. And he showed me a river like by over there and we just sat and we just talked and we laughed and then he’s like, okay, let’s study chem. And I was like, what? And he’s like, yeah, you thought I took you out of chem? No. So he went over the whole topic and everything. And he’s like, I brought you here so I can teach you. And that’s one thing I will always miss is his enthusiasm and his okayness to do anything, especially for me. He always helped with anything. If I needed him there, he would be there. And he was the main reason that I passed chemistry in my second semester.”
Dr. Martin Cuellar, Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Belize, shared that the entire school is heartbroken by the news. To help students cope with their grief, the university organized a grief circle where they shared fond memories of Osario and Munoz and spoke with mental health professionals.
Martin Cuellar
Dr. Martin Cuellar, Dean of Student Affairs, UB
“It’s always a tragedy when any family loses a member, especially a young, promising individual. And here we are at UB dealing with the terrible news that we have two of our students who have passed over the past twenty-four hours. As you can imagine, classmates are in tears, faculty members are breaking down. The university is in the full stages of grief. And then it is our job, obviously, as colleagues, as brothers and sisters of each other, to take care of each other as best we can. And so, we’re doing everything possible to try to take care of each other. We have a grief circle that is just wrapping up right now for close friends, classmates in particular, of Henry and Alex, and then we have a memorial scheduled or being organized for next week.”
Longtime friends of Henry Osorio attended the vigil, sharing that his death hits especially hard because they grew up with him. Yasmine Franco fondly remembers that there wasn’t a day when Henry wasn’t smiling or making someone else laugh.
Yasmine Franco
Yasmine Franco, Friend of Deceased
“One time we were playing an online game, right? And she had a really bad internet connection, right? And we were all on a voice call together. And the game in summary If someone dies on your team, everyone restarts. And so she kept dying, and we were all in voice chat, and we were just screaming at her. I was laughing so hard. We all were laughing so hard. He just kept out spitting jokes, and I was like, I was in tears from laughing. And now we’re in tears from mourning. So that, that hits different, because on that game, we can create profiles, and now I saw his profile online last night, and I’m like, how was he online last night? And so I thought, that felt eerie to have lost a friend that was, it’s eerie.”
Several classmates shared that both Osorio and Munoz were exceptionally bright and often competed for the top grades in their classes. In 2021, Alex Munoz, originally from Guinea Grass in Orange Walk, served as the Speaker of the House at the Children’s Parliament. Hector Maldonado, who was supposed to meet with them for a project that very night, admired their academic drive and dedication.
Hector Maldonado
Hector Maldonado, Classmate
“I really loved their interactions in class. They were like very interactive with the lecturers. They knew what they were talking about. They were book smart, we could say. And I just felt that I had the pressure of getting to their level where they are because they really knew a lot. So yeah, they were very interactive and involved in class.”
The school is also extending individual counseling to those grieving and will continue to host intimate events in memory of Henry and Alex. Britney Gordon for News Five.
On Thursday night, we reported that the body of twenty-nine-year-old Raheem Usher from Libertad Village, who had been missing for over a month, was found in San Antonio Village. His body wasn’t badly decomposed, suggesting he was held captive for a long time before being shot twice in the head. Usher was found handcuffed, wrapped in a sheet, and covered in plastic. The sheet had a handwritten threat aimed at those ‘bringing down planes with drugs,’ with six names listed. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that he doesn’t believe Usher’s murder was carried out by Mexican cartels.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“From my experience and observation I know there has been much talk in the media and the public that this is a cartel hit or a cartel type killing and I can say, and I hope I am right, this is not nothing done by no cartels, but rather by locals trying to make it look like cartel. That incident there is no signature of the cartel. We need to look at where the body was found. It is not an area prone to cartel operations. Two, Cartels would not handcuff you front way. If you look at the note written in English, cartel would not write any note in English. Even the manner in which the body was found. There are several things I can outline that makes me believe it was not done by cartels but rather by locals operating in the northern districts who are trying to make it seems that is done by the cartels.”
Reporter
“But what about local working with cartels?”
Chester Williams
“Yes that is a possibility that the persons who we believe are behind this killing do have cartel connections. But having cartel connections and cartel doing this thing is two different things.”
Interestingly, Raheem’s brother, Curtis Usher, was also shot and killed in July 2023 at his home in Libertad. Regarding the six names listed in the threat, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams mentioned that only two are police officers. So, how will he handle the threat? ComPol Williams says it’s time to shake things up in the northern formation once again.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Only two police officers names are on that note and the others are civilians. I will echo what I normally echo to officers, if you decide to lie in bed with dogs you will catch their flees. If you get yourself entangled with cartels you will suffer the consequences of it. You would know that recently we did a whole shuffle of the northern district because we were getting information of some police officers being entangled in cartel issues. We moved a lot of people from there. It looks like that time has come again where we need reshuffling. I am not going as far to say we will be providing protection to those officers who get themselves entangled. I don’t think it will serve in their best interest and the department’s best interest to keep them in Corozal. And of the two officers who’s name was mentioned only one work in Corozal and the other works in the Cayo District. But, again we have to look to see what we can do to get some people out the Corozal district.”
Reporter
“So you believe there is some credence to what is written in that note about landing planes?”
Chester Williams
“I am not going to hide nothing. The public is fully aware that we have officers who are in cahoots with the drug plane landers in landing planes.”
