And we also asked the Foreign Minister more about the US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean - which have killed close to 80 persons since September. The Trump administration says they are intended to stop drug smuggling and they are now the subject of intense bipartisan scrutiny in the United States.
In the US, a broad range of legal experts argue that the killings have been murders while the Trump administration maintains that they are lawful. So, where does a Belize that is cautious wits foreign police stand? Today we asked the Foreign Minister if he agrees with experts who say the the strikes are outright illegal:
Francis Fonseca, Minister Of FAFT, ECST
"Yeah, I think based on the information that has been provided to us, we have said that, you know, at this point, we believe that those strikes are extrajudicial. So in the absence of any other information, we have through Caricom, we have requested information. Caricom has requested information from the US government. We have requested meetings to get more information through Caricom. So far, no further information has been forthcoming to Caricom. So, you know, I think many of us in Caricom feel that of course these strikes are extrajudicial."
Reporter:
"And are you concerned that these strikes might happen off shore Belize because it's not limited to any specific country. It's against the entire drug trade."
Francis Fonseca, Minister Of FAFT, ECST
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I think as I said, we are committed to working on that issue. It's a very serious threat to our societies, to our economies. The narco trafficking trade, Belize is one of the great challenges that we face as a country. So we're always concerned about that issue. But I think the best way to approach that issue is through dialogue, cooperation, sharing of information. That is what we would like so that we understand what is taking place. So far as I said, that has not been forthcoming."
"Yeah. Very, very, very important. That's, you know, I think, anytime we can celebrate our culture, and at the global level, there is a recognition of the importance of that, that that culture and the intangibility of that culture. I think it's an important, important event. So we certainly welcome that from NICH, the Ministry of Culture. We celebrate that, because it represents, you know, our rich diversity here in Belize."
