The Commander of the United States Southern Command visited Belize today. He is Admiral James Stavridis and he is in charge of all U.S. military operations South of Mexico – including the Caribbean. That’s a total of 32 countries, in which the United States has a continuing strategic interest. So on any given day his job can mean containing Venezuela’s military ambitions, combating drug kingpins in Colombia, monitoring Hezbollah activities in South America, and yes, helping Belize’s Coast Guard.
That’s what he discussed today at BDF Headquarters in Ladyville – and he told us that as the nexus between Central America and the Caribbean, Belize is of key importance.
Admiral James Stavridis, SOUTHCOM Commander
“Belize is an extraordinary and unique country where roads cross. It is a place where the Spanish Latino culture meets the Caribbean culture and it is also located along strategic routes that unfortunately at the moment have drugs flowing through them, have illegal migrants flowing through them, have weapons flowing through them. So we want to be helpful to try and make sure that we work with the BDF and with the Coast Guard here to stop those kinds of flows.
But secondly we want to be involved in this wonderful country that where so many cultures come together in a way of friendship and partnership in a very important region of the world for the United States.”
Jules Vasquez,
Are there any concrete programs of assistance for the Coast Guard in particular?
Admiral James Stavridis,
“Yes there is. The main one is called enduring friendship and it is a program that’s going to bring some very high speed, very capable boats to your Coast Guard that can be used to stop things like drugs, like weapons, and illegal migrants. We are also very involved with constructing the new Coast Guard outstation out on one of the cayes out here. We are also going to help build the new headquarters and we’re going to help with communications. We are very involved with the Coast Guard from an equipment standpoint.”
Admiral Cedric Borland, Commandant – Belize Coast Guard
“The other major project that we’re working on right now is the construction of a main headquarters facility for the Coast Guard and that is going to be located in the area of the old Belizean Beach. We have acquired 1.75 acres from the government of Belize for this project and the US SOUTHCOM whose direct responsibility actually is Admiral Stavridis, he has allocated US$1.5 million for this project and we expect that construction will commence for this main headquarters perhaps in December of this year or January of next year.”
As part of its expansion, the Belize Coast Guard is also having an intake of 30 in June. This afternoon, Admiral Stavridis met with the Prime Minister.
