B.D.F.’s Investigation into Bribery Allegations Intensifies

The Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) has intensified an investigation into bribery allegations involving its soldiers stationed along the Belize-Guatemala border. This probe was sparked by a recent News Five investigative report revealing claims that soldiers stationed at the Machakilha Conservation Post (CP) have been accepting bribes from Guatemalan nationals. The alleged bribes, reported to range from cash to canned food and even chicken, are said to encourage B.D.F. soldiers to ignore illegal Guatemalan logging operations within Belizean territory.

These allegations, if substantiated, would not only call into question the discipline within the ranks but also highlight broader issues surrounding the support and resources provided to B.D.F. troops tasked with securing Belize’s remote border areas. Sources indicate that some Guatemalan loggers have allegedly been bribing B.D.F. soldiers for over five years, suggesting that the problem may be deeply rooted and systemic.

B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher confirmed that the investigation extends beyond Machakilha to include all CPs along the border. Major Usher said, “When we receive allegations and accusations of things like that, yes, we check all our CPs as to what is occurring because we need to know what is occurring along the border. Not just necessarily one conservation, one observation post, but all of them because the integrity of the force is then questioned.”

She acknowledged, however, that while the “possibility exists,” the B.D.F. is committed to ensuring that bribery is not pervasive throughout its ranks.

They Should Have Not Been Released

In our recent investigation, it was revealed that on September 7, Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) troops apprehended Guatemalan loggers operating illegally in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. Shortly after, the patrol found themselves surrounded by more than ten Guatemalans, reportedly armed, who demanded the release of their compatriots. With communication to Fairweather Camp severed, the patrol commander decided to release the detainees to prevent the situation from escalating.

Following public concern, B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher provided an update on the findings of the investigation into the incident, which concluded last week. According to Major Usher, the investigation confirmed that B.D.F. troops were indeed encircled by Guatemalans, though she noted, “Hostility did not escalate as we had previously discussed. The Guatemalans encircled the conservation post to understand why the detainees were held, and the commander on the ground deemed it appropriate to release them to avoid potential escalation.”

When asked whether the surrounding Guatemalans were armed, Major Usher clarified that “the conclusion of the investigation does not align with claims of shots being fired.”

Pressed on whether the commander’s decision to release the detainees was in line with standard protocol, Usher did not disclose operational details but affirmed that the B.D.F. follows specific escalation protocols and that commanders are authorised to make decisions based on on-the-ground assessments. She explained, “The commander on the ground took the measure he saw fit for this situation,” though she emphasised that standard procedure typically involves police detainment, adding that no police were present at the time of the incident. She added, “They were not to be released.” 

B.D.F. Lacks Real-Time Tracking for Border Patrols Despite Claims

Reports of B.D.F. soldiers allegedly accepting small bribes like chicken from Guatemalan loggers have intensified public scrutiny on the conditions faced by border patrols and the level of support given to Belize’s Defence Force. Amidst this scrutiny, Prime Minister John Briceño told News 5 that technological upgrades, including tracking systems, are being implemented to monitor soldiers’ movements and keep them on Belizean soil during patrols. He stated, “We’re using the tracking system so that we know where they are at all times.”

However, after these remarks were publicised, sources within the B.D.F. indicated that no real-time tracking technology is currently in place, suggesting the Prime Minister may have misspoken. In a follow-up, News Five asked B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher for clarification on the matter.

Major Usher responded, “We are looking into the ventures of technologies… we have the capability of communicating with our soldiers. We have the ability to communicate with our soldiers or look into other technological ventures to see how we can best remain in communication and track our soldiers on the borders. Yes.”

By Digital Editor, Hipolito Novleo

Guatemalans Accused of Bribing and Surrounding BDF Soldiers at Machakilha