As we told you at the top of the news, the Mexican side of the Santa Elena border has been opened for the movement of cargo shipments. This is after a 6 days closure that was causing panic among Belize’s merchants who import vegetables, fruits and various goods like detergents and cleaners.
Well, tonight they can rest easy – at least for a little while because – after a meeting on the Mexican side between the vested interests – reportedly also including the cartel which had forced the closure – a working agreement was arrived at.
Today we spoke via Zoom with Belize’s ambassador in Mexico City, Oscar Arnold who told us that he had been following it closely:
Oscar Arnold, Bze Ambassador to Mexico
“I believe it was late Tuesday night of last week or early morning Wednesday I was notified that there were some issues, with the cargo deliveries cross-border cargo deliveries, at the northern border. So I made a few calls, I made a few contacts, with individuals that are on the ground. And yes, it did happen that there was, I was informed that there was a disruption in the delivery of cargo. And then that is when it started from my end to try to find out exactly what was going on. I was contacted by a few businesses in Belize who had shipments that were already held up at the border, as well as shipments that were being prepared to be sent, via road, to Belize. I was informed, Thursday of last week, that there were discussions taking place. And that the issue would be resolved by Monday or Tuesday of this week. And here we are, Tuesday the 24th of March and I was informed about an hour ago that there was a resumption of, activity, of transportation of cargo through the border. Some of the individuals who I spoke with were, the director general for the Central American and Caribbean region here in the the Foreign Ministry for Mexico, Special advisers, for the state of Quintana Roo, the governor’s office. As well as the head of the customs unit for the National Guard there at the border on the Mexican side. Obviously there was a lot going on behind the scenes. And from mine really as, as the ambassador, as a representative of the people and government of Belize. What we were trying to do was to discuss and try to see what we can do through the formal channels of communication with the authorities. I know that there’s been quite a bit of information shared, through social media posts. But, as my capacity as ambassador, I can only work the formal channels on the established channels that are afforded to me.”
