By Belize Live News Staff: Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton is demanding full disclosure from the Briceño administration following the signing of a biometric data-sharing agreement between Belize and the United States.
The agreement, signed in Washington by Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, aims to boost border security through the exchange of biometric information. But Panton says the public was never consulted and key questions remain unanswered.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning, Panton voiced concern over what she described as a dangerous erosion of privacy and national sovereignty. “We must ask ourselves—what are we signing away in the name of security?” she wrote.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the agreement focuses on data exchange to combat illegal immigration and criminal networks. However, critics like Panton argue that without proper data protection laws or oversight bodies, such agreements could open the door to misuse and mass surveillance.
The timing of the deal has also raised eyebrows, as Belize prepares to launch a national biometric ID system that will eventually replace social security cards, driver’s licences, and voter IDs. Panton called the rollout “rushed” and warned that Belize currently lacks the legal framework to safeguard citizens’ information.
“Before a single fingerprint or facial scan is shared, Belizeans deserve to know the terms of this deal,” she said, adding three demands:
Full disclosure of the Memorandum of Cooperation;
Suspension of the national biometric ID rollout;
Clear guarantees that Belizean data will remain under Belizean control with strict oversight.
“This is not just a policy issue—it’s a matter of constitutional rights,” Panton concluded. “Belizeans must stay vigilant.”
More to come as the debate intensifies.
