While the energy crisis is unfolding slowly like a long national nightmare, the Corozal Free Zone is its own horror show.
It has been in the smuggling business with Mexican cartels for a long, long time, but now the zone is under heavy scrutiny from the Americans.
Recently, there was a major bust of Free Zone cigarettes inside Mexico. Today, we asked the PM how he is dealing with the pressure to keep the zone out of the hands of the cartels:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I know, as far as I know, we have closed that extra gate that they had through the back. The Americans have visited the Free Zone; we have shown them what we are doing with the operations, and we are doing as best as we can. If we export cigarettes from the Free Zone, it is exported legally. Now, what happens in Mexico, we can't-we have no control over that, so that is a matter that you need to ask the Mexicans."
Courtney Menzies:
"Are the Americans bringing heat on Belize for the zone activities, and how intense is that heat now?"
John Briceno:
"They have never come to me and asked me that we have to close down the zone. There have been concerns, obviously, earlier on that we have to ensure that we don't allow the cartels to come into Belize, which is something I have been saying from the beginning-that we have to do everything possible to keep them out of Belize, and we have been fairly successful for that. And, but we continue to work with Americans, and we always tell them we need help-we need help with the intelligence, with the assets to maybe move from point A to point B very quickly, to stave off these people trying to come into Belize."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you know whether any politically exposed person at the top of the zone hierarchy has had their visa revoked?"
John Briceno:
"No, I think you have to ask the American Embassy."
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