Security & Strategic Review - September 2022

*** ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN BELIZE. On 29 July, the Belize government declared a state of emergency (SOE) in the Lake Independence area of Belize City in response to escalating gang violence and the shootings of three gang members: Tevin Cacho, Darien Banks, and Alrick Smith (the latter two were shot fatally). Cacho was part of the Backa-Land gang, and Banks and Smith were part of the PIV gang (Peace in the Village); Banks being the leader of this gang. With aggressive retaliations to these shootings expected, a 30-day SOE was imposed by Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa to prevent further bloodshed, defuse tensions in the community, and to give the government time to address the situation. The police also detained 31 “active gang members” with the intention of holding them for at least a month.

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