By Belize Live News Staff: From November 6 to 8, 2024, military and naval leaders from Belize and Mexico convened in Belize City for the 18th Border Commanders Conference. The meeting, aimed at addressing shared maritime and terrestrial security challenges, covered key issues such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal migration, and contraband.
Belize was represented by Colonel Anthony Velasquez, Deputy Commander of the Belize Defence Force, and Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard. The Mexican delegation featured senior commanders from the country’s Secretariat of Defence and Secretariat of the Navy.
A major focus of the conference was the role of the military in enhancing citizen security and supporting economic stability. Both delegations also highlighted the growing importance of military involvement in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, particularly in response to climate-related challenges such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes.
The conference concluded with a joint commitment to strengthen border security through intelligence sharing and coordinated operations. Both nations pledged to work together in countering transnational organized crime along their shared borders.
Belize’s Ministry of National Defence and Border Security reaffirmed its partnership with Mexico’s Secretariat of Defence and Secretariat of the Navy, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in safeguarding their citizens, borders, and economic interests.
