Coast Guard Chief Highlights Expanding Regional Security Partnerships

Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis of the Belize Coast Guard appeared on the Morning Show today, where he outlined the ongoing work of the BCG and its expanding regional partnerships.  During the discussion, Rear Admiral Soberanis highlighted the critical role the Belize Coast Guard plays in safeguarding the country’s maritime domain, noting that the force continues to strengthen cooperation with regional partners, especially Mexico, to enhance maritime security and information sharing.

Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “The Mexicans are a great partner to the Belize Coast Guard, the Mexican Navy. We have our cadets who go to the Naval Academy. We have cadets who go to their medical schools and we also, we’ve done tactical training with the Mexicans before. So the Mexicans are a great ally really. And they provide good support to the Belize Coast Guard. We do operate with them along with Northern borders and so we maintain a communication line of effort. We do have forums where we sit down where as operational commanders we meet with their operational commanders and we discuss what we’re currently facing along the border areas. As you know, any border areas are sensitive area. If it is not managed properly the situation can escalate to something that is…”

Ernesto Vasquez, Host, The Morning Show: Do we have any maritime communication with the Mexicans? 
Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard:“Yes, we do. With the Mexican Navy and we have trained with the Mexican Navy and the Mexican Marines. So the Mexicans continue to, like I said, continue to be a great partner and ally.”

Soberanis explained that these collaborations have been key in improving joint operations, training, and coordinated responses to threats within Belize’s territorial waters and the wider region.  He also addressed the Coast Guard’s ongoing vigilance in protecting Belize’s waters from incursions and other illegal maritime activities, particularly those involving immediate neighbors.

Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “So we, while the Coast Guard is not at the Sarstoon we are in Barranco, not too far away from Sarstoon. And so we provide direct support to the Belize Defence Force from Barranco.”

Ernesto Vasquez, Host, The Morning Show: Now does the Guatemalans have any kind of marine or maritime activity outside of the Sarstoon that would meet with your patrols ? 
Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “With our patrols? Oh, yes, oh yes. We do. They patrol their maritime borders as we do as well. The Belize Coast Guard, we, from our base at Hunting Key, we do what we call our we do a patrol where we patrol or maritime borders from Hunting Key all the way down to the Sarstoon area. So that is something that we do to assert our presence of sovereignty in that southern sector. As I said when we first started it’s the ability to execute and assert sovereignty over our waters without escalating or without provocation. And so all these things, of course, are guided by our ministry and it is guided by the policies set by our minister. And so with the assistance, of course, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,”

Rear Admiral Soberanis recently took over command of the Belize Coast Guard in January.