Tackling Gangs and Crime at Mexico-Belize Border

Mexico continues to count the cost of the ongoing drug war in which thousands have been killed over the years. While the annual murder rate is much smaller than Belize, the sheer numbers are larger although mostly concentrated in the north and center of the country. But more recently there has been unruly behavior at the Mexico-Belize border in which Mexican gangs confronted Customs officials from both countries demanding that their illegal activities be allowed to continue. But not if either country can help it, according to Ambassador Quesnel, who says the neighbors are working together.

Carlos Quesnel Melendez

Carlos Quesnel, Mexican Ambassador to Belize

“We have meetings often between the authorities in Mexico and the authorities of Belize to try to find the best mechanism to fight this kind of criminal activity. It’s not easy, they are still there working; but we have taken measures, and certainly we have to take harsh measures and that was case of Subteniente Lopez: sometimes you have to take difficult decisions that you know you will affect some people. Maybe you will affect some good faith persons that are buying some personal items. But you have to take these kinds of measures to try to avoid these activities.”