Widespread Bribery Among B.D.F. Soldiers?  

The Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) continues to investigate allegations of bribery among soldiers. That investigation was launched after this station produced an investigative piece earlier this month. In that piece, Digital Editor Hipolito Novelo revealed allegations that B.D.F. soldiers stationed at the Machakilha Conservation Post along the Belize/Guatemala border were accepting bribes by Guatemalans. These bribes came in different forms, including cash, canned food, and chicken. The soldiers take these bribes and turn a blind eye to Guatemalan loggers who continue to operate within Belize. Allegations of Guatemalan bribes date back several years, with one logger claiming to have been bribing soldiers for over five years. These allegations not only raise questions about discipline but also about the overall support and infrastructure provided to Belizean soldiers patrolling the contested southern border.  Now, if the allegations prove to be true, as we suspect they are, it will have serious ramifications on Belize’s national defence and security. Our investigation has revealed that the B.D.F. high command is not only investigating soldiers stationed at Machakilha but at all CPs. So today, we asked the B.D.F.’s Chief of Staff, Roberta Usher, if there is a possibility that bribery occurs at all CPs. Here is how she responded.

 

Major Roberta Usher, Chief of Staff, B.D.F.

“Those are two separate incidents that we’re investigating and that that continues to be investigated at all the CPS, whether or soldiers are not being truthful and bribing is occurring. Those are those are 2 separate matters. The escalation on the hostility of encircling a CP is 1 matter and disciplinary procedures as to our protocols, whether releasing them or not was suitable and feasible at the time versus what higher command thinks was acceptable. And then the bribing is another investigation that I have no other information to explain to you until that is concluded from all the CPS throughout our borders.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“So the allegations extends not only to Machakilha but other CPs along the borders in terms of allegations of bribery.”

 

Major Roberta Usher

“Well, 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.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“I’m trying to establish that there is the possibility that bribery is not only occurring at Machakilha, that the possibility is that it is occurring in other CPs along the border.”

 

Major Roberta Usher

“Well, we are ensuring that that is not the case by conducting investigations at all. Yes.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“The possibility still exists.”

 

Major Roberta Usher

“Possibilities exist throughout,  but now we are ensuring that it is not y conducting our own internal investigations throughout our CPS across the border.”