Earlier on in the news we told you about the new initiative signed by the ministers of foreign affairs of Belize and Guatemala. It's called the Road Map and Plan Of Action" and lays the groundwork for a new series of more meaningful confidence building measures. Sounds all nice and stuff, but on the ground in Chiquibul you can throw out the road map - because Guatemalans are illegally logging right on the road side! Two weeks ago the Friends for Conservation AND Development which co manages the park saw tress felled right a few feet from the Caracol road in the heart of the Caracol Archaeological Park., It's outrageous, outlaw behavior and we discussed it with FCD's Rafael Manzanero today:..
Rafael Manzanero
"The Guatemalans cutting down the Mahogany and Cedar right along the road which is use as access to the Caracol Archaeological Reserve. The most aspect of the concern is because it is very close. In fact the trees that were cut less than 2 weeks ago they actually were dropped right over the highway; over the road. We are actually talking about no more than 1.5 miles from the Caracol center."
Jules Vasquez
"Hearing it - it requires such gall, it's such blatant outlaw behavior right now in the heart of what we should exert control and authority of - the archaeological park."
Rafael Manzanero
"That's correct and what we have done really is to inform and I would assume that NICH would be able to meet and discuss on what they would need to do. Certainly being so close to the reserve, it basically means that the rangers there, the park warden would be required to do more monitoring and surveillance around that zone."
We'll have more on this story next week.
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