Corozal Free Zone Boosts Border Security With ATV and New BDF Facility

The Corozal Free Zone has strengthened Belize’s national security network with the donation of a brand-new all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to the Belize Police Department and the allocation of a building to serve as a new working station for the Belize Defence Force stationed in the area.

According to the Government Press Office, the ATV is valued at close to 40 thousand dollars, while the new BDF facility represents an additional investment of and estimated 71 thousand dollars.  Combined, the contributions are expected to significantly enhance security operations along the Santa Elena Border, where rapid response capability and continuous surveillance are critical.  Minister of Home Affairs Oscar Mira spoke on the importance of strengthening frontline mobility and improving coordination in a zone that sees high daily traffic and commercial activity.

Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs: “As I transition from my previous role as Minister of National Defence and Border Security into my responsibilities as now the Minister of Home Affairs at Enterprise, I am reminded that the work really hasn’t changed. The name of the ministry is different, but it challenges the responsibilities, and the importance of what happens here at the Northern border remains the same. Today we have handing over an ATV and a building. It is much more than just handing over two assets. It is about how we respond together when our security is threatened. And I can go and cite many instances in the Free Zone where the security of the Free Zone has been breached. We have seen the risks to businesses, to officers, and to ordinary citizens. And these are not simple issues. They are real worries for the people who work and invest in the free zone. And it was in the bimonthly interagency meetings where customs, immigration, police, BDF, BAHA and the free zone management and others together that this reality was made.”

Authorities say that with officers stationed onsite and equipped with the ATV’s added mobility, security forces will be able to respond more swiftly to incidents while maintaining a stronger, more visible presence in and around the Free Zone. They note that the collaboration demonstrates ongoing commitment between the Free Zone administration and national security agencies to ensure safety and protect economic activity in the area.  Minister of National Defence and Border Security Florencio Marin Jr. also welcomed the investment, highlighting the benefits the new headquarters will bring to BDF personnel operating in the region.

Florencio Marin Jr, Minister of National Defence and Border Security: “As I did some reflection while writing and of course growing up in Corozal, I was reminded of the impact that the Free Zone has had not just to Corozal but to the entire country. Outside of providing over 2,000 Belizeans jobs and impacting the lives of more than 5,000 people, the Corozal Free Zone has been one of our main foreign currency generators for Belize. In recent times, the region has been plagued with the plight of transnational organized crime. Belize is no different. You all would know. It’s important that the two pillars of national security, Ministry of Defence and Border Security, and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, work together to combat this transnational that we are all suffering from. Today’s handing over of living accommodations for the deployment of soldiers and a UTV for the mobilization of this patrol is but one demonstration of the Government of Belize and Plan Belize 2.0 to ensuring that the security and stability of Belize remains intact. The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Free Zone, will work together to keep the Free Zone and this Northern border region a safe space.”

Both the Belize Police Department and the BDF say the support will improve their ability to safeguard one of the country’s busiest and most sensitive border points, contributing to a more secure and stable environment for residents, workers, and cross-border travelers./