7 News Belize

Another Xatero Caught
posted (April 27, 2015)
Another Guatemalan Xatero was found in the Chiquibul yesterday. FCD rangers found David Alvisures Cheche AT 5:30 at an area known as Cristina which is 15 kilometers, or 9 miles inside Belize. The Guatemalan from La Rejoya, Peten was carrying 720 fish tail Xate leaves - which may sound like a lot, but he told the Rangers he would only get 180 quetzales, and fifty three dollars when he sold them in Santa Elena Peten.

He was taken to the San Ignacio Police station where he was charged with unlawful possession of forest produce by the Forest Department and for illegal entry by the Immigration Department. He told the rangers that he knew he was in Belize and understood he was in a reserve.

The Xate he was collecting was probably going to be exported from Guatemala to the United States and Europe where it is popular for use in floral arrangements. The village of La Rejoya where he comes from is described as a target community for sustainable livelihood programs, which would spawn xate plantations, and other industries for the villagers in the hope that it would reduce the theft forest products from Belize.

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