Residents of Caye Caulker have launched a petition urging the government to legalize and regulate marijuana exclusively on the island through a local referendum. The initiative, led by Caye Caulker Village Councillor Ilya Rosado, aims to collect 400 signatures from registered voters to place the question on the ballot during the Village Council elections on June 29, 2025.
On May 15, 2025, Councilor Rosado explained the motivative behind the petition, emphasizing personal freedom and economic opportunity. “I want people to have their rights. I want people to be able to express themselves and decide if they want to consume a certain substance when they are old enough and responsible enough. I want them to be able to make that choice,” Rosado said, acknowledging some negative feedback, but noted, “most of the feedback has been surprisingly positive. I actually did not expect to get the number of signatures that I got today.”
Rosado drew a parallel between marijuana and alcohol consumption rights, stating, “If you don’t want to smoke weed, that’s fine because I don’t drink. And I am not going around saying alcohol should be legal. If someone enjoys having a whiskey at the end of the day, that’s perfectly fine. Anything in excess will be bad, but what I want is for people to have the freedom in this community to make that choice if they want. Just like they have the freedom to buy a beer if they want, and that’s it.”
The campaign is also seen as an economic development opportunity from the council’s perspective. Rosado said, “They want to see if we can use this opportunity to create a better economic environment, but we want the people to decide on whether this is the right way or not, and we’ll see. If the people decide yes or no, that is their choice, and we are here to follow what they believe is right, and that’s it.”
Supporters of the petition argue that legalizing cannabis on Caye Caulker could help reduce illegal activity, support small businesses, boost sustainable tourism, and generate local tax revenue to invest in infrastructure, education, and social services.
The proposed referendum question reads:
“Should the Government of Belize pass legislation to create a responsible, regulated, and taxable legal cannabis industry on the island of Caye Caulker, with a portion of the revenue going directly for the benefit of Caye Caulker and its residents?”
The campaign reflects a growing national conversation around cannabis legalization, which remains partially legal in Belize but is not fully regulated for commercial purposes. The Caye Caulker initiative is notable for focusing on legalization in a single community, potentially setting a precedent for localized cannabis legislation.
Organizers aim to gather the required signatures in time to ensure the issue appears on the June ballot.
