Again! - Channel 5 Belize

Trump Threatens New Tariffs on Canada, Again

President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada once more. This time, threatening new tariffs on Canadian lumber and dairy products. Trump announced this from the Oval Office on Friday.

According to CNN, Trump claimed Canada had been “ripping off” the United States for years in these sectors, citing a 250% tariff on U.S. dairy exports. “We’re going to charge the same thing. It’s not fair,” Trump stated, and added that he may do it as early as Friday, or “wait until Monday or Tuesday,” CNN reported.

CNN also reported that Canada’s Trade Minister, Mary Ng, swiftly rebutted, calling Trump’s claims “not true” and the proposed tariffs “completely unjustified.” This latest threat comes just a day after Trump announced a one-month pause on tariffs under the USMCA, which offered temporary relief to industries like agriculture and autos.

While the markets initially reacted negatively, the Dow ultimately closed up 222 points, buoyed by positive economic outlooks from the Federal Reserve. However, experts warn that prolonged tariffs could exacerbate the economic uncertainty, particularly affecting housing affordability due to lumber price hikes.

Tracy Panton Asks for Mediation, AGAIN!

Attorneys for Tracy Panton have sent a second letter, telling Leader of the Opposition Moses “Shyne” Barrow that she remains willing to mediate.

Both Panton and Barrow claim to the legitimate leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

In a letter from Senior Counsel Ellis Arnold, Panton reaffirms their willingness to mediate and suggested that the session take place on Thursday, February 13, 2025. They also proposed that, in the interim, neither party should make public comments—including on social media or to the press—regarding the ongoing High Court proceedings or the leadership status of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Additionally, Panton recommended that both parties issue a joint statement confirming their intent to mediate and refrain from further public commentary until discussions conclude.

If the claimants agree to these terms, the scheduled February 14th court hearing could be postponed to a later date. The letter noted that King’s Counsel Peter Knox remains available to discuss the logistics of the mediation process.

This development comes as Prime Minister John Briceño is expected to announce the general election date soon.

GAF in Belizean Waters, AGAIN!

On the morning of December 17, around 8:30 a.m., a Belize Coast Guard patrol stationed at Hunting Caye reported the sighting of a Guatemalan naval vessel within Belizean waters near Ragged Caye, approximately three miles south of Hunting Caye. According to Coast Guard Commander Captain Elton Bennett, the patrol proceeded to the location and encountered a Guatemalan hydrographic vessel, approximately 65 feet in length, which was subsequently informed it had entered Belizean waters.

“There was a vessel that appeared to be a hydrographic vessel in the area of Ragged Caye that belonged to the Guatemalan Navy—65 feet in length—and the patrol then informed them that they were inside Belizean waters. There was an exchange of words at that location, and eventually the Guatemalan patrol vessel departed.”

Captain Bennett says that there was no grounding and no arms were drawn. The vessel was escorted outside of Belizean waters.

The Ministry of Defence was notified, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to issue a protest note, following standard protocol. Captain Bennett said, “We believe that the diplomatic channels would now kick in, and that’s the route that we will rely on from now on to confirm exactly what occurred.”

He added, “It wasn’t an aggressive encounter despite that they were inside Belizean waters. There were no weapons drawn, and it was not a grounding.”

According to Captain Bennett, this was the second sighting of a Guatemalan naval vessel in the area in the past two to three years, the last having occurred approximately two years ago. However, our records show that in September of this year, Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) were found operating within Belizean territory for the second time. Reports emerged of Guatemalan naval vessels, including one named Quetzal, being spotted off the coast of Barranco Village. Despite being informed by the Belize Defence Force (BDF) that they were outside their jurisdiction and provided with GPS coordinates, the GAF refused to leave. The situation was resolved only after the Belize Coast Guard (BCG) intervened, and the Guatemalan vessels departed several hours later. Major Roberta Usher, BDF Chief of Staff, explained that the routine patrol had detected the vessels near their Forward Operating Base. The vessels, numbering three to five, were seen moving between Belizean and Guatemalan waters over the weekend. Authorities are awaiting confirmation on whether the vessels were illegally intruding.

He said the Coast Guard would continue its patrols from its forward operating base at Hunting Caye and ensure the integrity of Belize’s territorial waters.

Guatemalan Armed Forces in Belizean Waters, Again!

Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) were found operating within Belizean territory for the second time last week. Reports of the Guatemalan naval ships in Belizean waters first emerged on Saturday morning. One of the ships named Quetzal was spotted off the coast of Barranco Village.

Despite being informed by the BDF that they were outside their jurisdiction and provided with GPS coordinates, the Guatemalan forces refused to leave. The situation was only resolved when the Belize Coast Guard (BCG) intervened. Several hours went by before the Guatemalan vessels departed

Major Roberta Usher, Chief of Staff of the BDF, said that the patrol, which was routine, detected the Guatemalan vessels near their Forward Operating Base (FOB). The vessels, numbering between three and five, were seen moving between Belizean and Guatemalan waters over the weekend. The BDF conducted reconnaissance and collected information, while the Coast Guard mapped the territorial boundaries. Authorities are now awaiting confirmation on whether the Guatemalan vessels were illegally intruding or if there were other issues at play. The BDF is working to gather all necessary information before determining if any breach of sovereignty occurred.

In response to these incidents, the United Democratic Party has criticised the Guatemalan actions as intimidation and is urging the Briceño administration to establish a formal protocol for operations on the Sarstoon River.