Belize, Mexico Military Commanders Commit to Regional Security Collaboration

The Military and Naval Commanders of Belize and Mexico have agreed to continued collaboration on regional security issues, following a conference held in Belize City last week. The Belize Coast Guard hosted the 18th Border Commanders two-day conference between Belize and Mexico.  The conference began last Wednesday, and according to the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, the conference focused on the critical role of the military in ensuring citizen security and fostering a stable environment for economic prosperity. He explained the conference sought to increase discussions on issues like transnational crime.

RADM Elton Bennett, Belize Coast Guard Commandant: “So it’s really an opportunity for the commanders to convene in a formal setting where we discuss the most recent threats that we face along the border regions this is the coastal areas and this is the border region along the Rio Hondo and we’re all cognizant of the continued threat of violence associated with transnational organized crime so that’s the biggest thing that we discussed in that meeting and exchanging information, building confidence between the forces and exchanging intelligence. We discussed the issue of air traffic of interest coming into Belize and then we also discussed the issue of the maritime routes increasing. You know a year ago, eight months ago we never used to have as much maritime trafficking coming into our region and what we’ve learned about the trend that is picking up well we’ve seen in Honduras, we’ve also seen in Mexico and now we’re seeing here in Belize as well is the increase maritime traffic through our waters. So that was a very good discussion point to have with them. And we committed to sharing those information, intelligence that we would have of any movements in our waters and likewise they would do the same.”

Bennett noted that another major issue was climate change and the role of military forces in national disaster responses. 

RADM Elton Bennett, Belize Coast Guard Commandant:  “We also discussed those known non traditional security issue such as the impact of climate change and how the military is employed in support of the civil authorities whether that’s firefighting, whether that’s responding to floods and hurricanes. So it’s a real broad range of issues on the agenda. So what we found out in that meeting is that the Mexican military faces the very same challenges that we face and for example in our humanitarian effort where there’s an approaching storm and we would have the responsibility of informing people, giving them that early warning out at sea that there’s an approaching storm and there are individuals out at those remote locations that are reluctant to leave what we found out is that the Mexican Navy faces the very same issue. So it was a good exchange of information and exchange of best practices of how to deal with it. On our side we recommended documentation and communication wit those individuals who refuse to leave. And so it’s a very good discussion when it comes to employment of the military in those areas. For the Belize Defence Force they discussed fire fighting in our forest areas. You know we had a series of wildfires earlier this year and Belize Defence force was employed in that supporting role. So it’s something that caught the attention of the Mexican Army as well to see how the Belize Defence Force forms a part of the national emergency structure. And at the end of that three day we were able to sign an agreement committing our forces on both sides to continue to work together and continue to exchange information and continue to do joint patrolling along the border region so it was a success.”

Deputy Commander Colonel Anthony Velasquez represented the Belize Defence Force. The Mexican delegation included Commanders from the Secretariat of Defence of Mexico and the Secretariat of the Navy of Mexico.