Prime Minister Briceno Cuts Vatican Trip Short Amid Sugar Industry Tensions

Prime Minister John Briceno is back home after canceling his trip to the Vatican City.  The leader was on vacation with his family in Texas, USA, and was to travel today to Italy at the invitation of Pope Francis.  With the tensions brewing in the north, and the farmers demanding his attention, Prime Minister Briceno landed back in Belize just after one o’clock this afternoon.  At the airport, PM Briceno expressed disappointment at not meeting Pope Francis, but indicated that the situation in the sugar sector was far more important.  From the airport, Briceno was immediately shuttled to Orange Walk where he met with the northern caucus as well as representatives of the BSI/ASR.