Saturday, February 8, 2025

Donald Trump returns to the White House as President, Belize’s diplomatic relations in question

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As of January 20th, the United States of America (USA) has a new president. Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second time, serving as the 47th President after winning the presidential election in November of the previous year along with his running mate, James David Vance. In the first hours of his presidency, Trump signed a series of executive orders, some of which called for mass deportations of undocumented residents and proposed changes to foreign aid for countries like Belize.
In his inaugural address after taking the oath of office, Trump promised to lead the USA into a ‘golden age’ and rescue the nation from current challenges, including inflation and high living costs. “During every single day of my administration, I will very simply put America first,” Trump said.
On immigration, Trump stated that he plans to declare a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico. He also proposed a policy requiring asylum seekers and anyone trying to enter the United States without documents to remain in Mexico. This policy was implemented during his first term from 2016 to 2020, thereby ending the practice of catch and release. The new president mentioned that American troops would be deployed to the southern border to counter what he described as an invasion and designated drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. “As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country,” he said.
To address the high cost of living, Trump stated that members of his Cabinet would be assigned the responsibility of tackling inflation and reducing expenses. Trump also reaffirmed his plans to impose tariffs and taxes on foreign nations. Additionally, he mentioned an executive order aimed at preventing government censorship.
Trump also suspended all foreign assistance programs for the next 90 days, pending reviews to determine whether they align with the administration’s policy goals. Belize relies heavily on foreign aid, and the United States is a close ally of the country. However, reports indicate that international aid programs experienced reductions during his previous administration. This raises concerns that the new U.S. administration may negatively impact essential programs in Belize, particularly in health, education, and security.

VP James David Vance

Regarding the deportation of Belizeans due to criminal activities, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that his department will closely monitor who is sent back. He mentioned, “We are looking forward to certain individuals returning who are wanted by the police to face charges in Belize.” Unconfirmed reports suggest that several Belizean gang members have fled to the United States.
During Trump’s first term, the stricter immigration policies implemented from 2016 to 2020 created significant challenges for Belizeans. Many in Belize noted that these policies affected visa access and heightened concerns about deportation. Currently, the primary focus is on undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the United States.
Trade policies will be closely monitored, as Belize relies heavily on North America for its economic stability. The Government of Belize (GOB) will also monitor Trump’s climate change policies and their implications for the country. One significant concern is Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, an international environmental accord. This decision has raised alarms for climate-vulnerable countries like Belize, which depend on global assistance to address climate-related threats.

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