Is Belize Safe?

Is Belize safe?

I get asked this all the time.

Belize can be a wonderful, sun- and fun-filled place to live, but, like anywhere, there are some issues to be aware of.

Belize doesn’t have the same level of organized crime as Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries in the region. No drug cartels are fighting for dominance or control. Luckily, this sleepy little country seems too small to interest those types.

That said, there is gang-related crime in areas of Belize City, but this doesn’t spill over into the general population. You probably aren’t going to want to move to Belize City anyway, unless you’re looking for a job.

The Cayes, Cayo, Northern Belize, and the Deep South are all better locations for expats. Serious crime statistics can seem high for Belize until you realize that incidents take place in localized areas of Belize City.

The statistics are still high, but the crimes aren’t something you have to worry about unless you plan to move into a gang-ruled neighborhood in the city’s capital (and, of course, that’s not something you’re going to do).

Interestingly, even among the worst gangs in Belize City, harming a police officer is forbidden.

The population of Belize is small. Most everyone is related to each other in some way, including police and gang members. This helps keep things under some level of control.

Kidnappings for ransom are unknown. The only instance I am aware of in all my time in Belize was resolved in hours when the entire village was alerted and a group of 200 locals and police mobilized, retrieving the couple unharmed and with no payment even considered.

I don’t recommend Belize City as a lifestyle option, but I spent four happy years living and working there. In that time, I didn’t experience or even see a single incidence of crime.

That said, I always tell people that the best way to remain safe in Belize (in fact, these things would hold true anywhere in Central or South America) is to:

• Be aware of your surroundings, especially in areas you do not know well…
• Don’t display conspicuous wealth (don’t wear expensive jewelry, for example)…
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash…
• Be wary of letting people know you have a safe in your house. There is an assumption here that, if someone has a safe, it must be full of treasure—maybe it’s a throwback to the country’s pirate days…
• Treat locals with courtesy and respect unless given specific reason to do otherwise…
• And, most important,don’t interfere in other people’s personal relationships, neither romantic nor familial. Crimes of passion are common here, as they are in Central America in general.

I lived in Belize for over a decade—in rural Cayo (alone and away from neighbors), in San Ignacio town, and, as I said, for four years in the much-maligned Belize City, where I found myself on the wrong side of the tracks assessing my late-night street food options regularly and without incident.

I have never felt threatened by anything other than a couple of spider sightings, my neighbor’s terrifying 180-pound dog (who took an intense dislike to me after I wouldn’t share my tacos with him), and one unhappy ex-girlfriend (I admit she probably had good reason for the position she adopted toward me… Belizeans are passionate people).

That’s not to say I have not experienced petty crime. I have.

For instance, I had a weed whacker disappear when I left it outside for two weeks while I was visiting family back home in Ireland. I was living in town in a low-rent neighborhood, so it was my own fault.

Don’t leave things lying around where someone can pick them up. It’s too much of a temptation. I’d say this is true anywhere in the world.

On another occasion, I left my house unlocked and was relieved of the contents of my fridge and alcohol cabinet but nothing else.

Friends have had handbags taken when they left them in public parks. Other friends have been nearly stampeded by local panhandlers rushing to return lost wallets and bags (admittedly with the hope of a beer or two as a reward).

Car theft is almost non-existent in this country. There are only four highways, and the police maintain checkpoints at the start and end of each of them. There is just no way to easily move a stolen vehicle.

On the off chance that your car did go missing, the likeliest explanation would be that someone (maybe after a few beers too many) borrowed it to get home. You could expect it to turn up the next day.

I have never owned a gun, not in Belize or anywhere else. I have never felt the need.

However, I understand that gun ownership can be an important element of peace of mind for some people. If you’re one of them, you’ll be pleased to know that gun ownership is legal in Belize for residents.

That said, gun ownership in this country is a privilege, not a right. Strict gun laws mean draconian measures are on the books for those found with unlicensed guns or ammunition.

Belize offers three main classes of legal gun ownership:

1. Farm shotgun:Licensed for the protection of livestock from predators and vermin on your farm (with the size of the farm or vermin not really mattering). If you hold a farm license, your gun should be taken off your farm only once a year for relicensing at the district police station.
2. Hunting rifle or shotgun: These can be carried openly but must be unloaded and in a case or wrapped in cloth when in towns or villages. Non-Belizeans are also required to obtain tags for specific game animals. Hunting is a popular pastime in Belize. Many animals are protected in this country, but specific hunting seasons are in place for non-endangered game animals.
3. Special protection:The right to carry a concealed sidearm or (much less common) a pump-action shotgun for security or self-defense. These licenses are vetted by the police before being issued. The latter option would be allowed only in very special circumstances.

People in this country take guns seriously, of course, but there is a local joke about the two things that really scare Belizeans:

1. Getting rained on.Even the most laid-back locals show impressive speed when a drop of rain falls. They can’t get under cover quick enough.
2. And dogs.In Belize, you have no stronger weapon for keeping people from entering your yard or home than a dog.

I have seen fully armed and armored soldiers bunched at the gateway to a house in the city (because they were assisting police with an arrest) being held at bay by the yapping of a little terrier. All their guns were trained directly on the little guy, but the five soldiers refused to open the gate to enter the yard until the dog was tied up.

So come to Belize, buy a dog, be safe, have fun, and enjoy life.

Con Murphy
Belize Insider