A State of Public Emergency has been declared in the north and south sides of Belize City, parts of the Belize District and parts of the Cayo District, following a surge in shootings and murders over the past month.
The declaration was brought into effect on Saturday, October 31, through Statutory Instrument 130 of 2026, proclaimed by the Governor General under Section 18 of the Belize Constitution.
Minister of National Security Michel Chebat said the decision comes as authorities respond to escalating violence and seek to prevent further loss of life.
“The citizens of our country deserve to know what is being done to reduce the level of criminality we have experienced, and thereby increase citizen security,” Chebat said.
Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado said the declaration followed intelligence assessments showing that gang conflicts had escalated into coordinated retaliatory attacks across several communities.
He pointed to a series of recent killings, including the quadruple homicide on the Coastal Plains Highway, as part of the escalating violence. Rosado later disclosed that investigators believe Friday’s highway attack stemmed from an internal feud within one of the gang factions.
“The current wave of violence is no longer confined to individual disputes. It is highly coordinated, and it is a multi-factional conflict,” Rosado explained.
He added that police intelligence indicates gang leaders are issuing orders for retaliatory attacks and mobilising members across different areas.
“Our decision was not sudden or arbitrary. It followed the disciplined multi-stage process set out in our emergency intelligence assessment protocol, which is grounded in Section 18 of the Belize Constitution,” he said.
Alongside the declaration, Chebat announced the deployment of an urban crime suppression unit comprising personnel from the Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard.
The government has also begun consultations to amend, repeal or replace the Firearms Act, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act.
The proposed changes are intended to increase penalties for offences involving firearms, drugs and gang-related activities, including tougher penalties for adults who recruit minors to commit crimes.
Chebat acknowledged that the security measures could cause inconvenience for law-abiding residents but appealed for their patience and cooperation.
“While the days ahead may result in some inconvenience for law-abiding citizens, I appeal for your patience and cooperation as we work to reduce the level of criminality we are facing in our country,” he said.
