By Belize Live News Staff: Belize has been named among the major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries for Fiscal Year 2025, according to a memorandum issued by U.S. President Joe Biden on September 15. The designation, outlined in Presidential Determination No. 2024-12, includes a list of nations identified as significant players in the global drug trade, either as producers or key transit hubs.
Alongside Belize, other countries named include Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, among others. The memorandum stresses that a country’s inclusion on this list does not necessarily reflect its level of cooperation with the U.S. in anti-narcotics efforts, but rather its geographical and economic factors that facilitate drug trafficking.
The Biden administration emphasized that the designation is part of its broader strategy to combat the global drug crisis, with particular attention to nations involved in the production of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs, including synthetic substances like fentanyl.
The memorandum also singled out Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela for failing to meet their international counter-narcotics commitments. Despite this, the U.S. government reiterated its commitment to working with these countries to bolster their drug control programs.
President Biden’s administration has focused on reducing drug overdose deaths and curbing the supply of illicit drugs through enhanced border security and international collaboration, particularly with key partners like Mexico and Colombia.
