Travel Announcements

Update on Travel Information - May 19, 2006

The recent hold-ups, sexual assault and wounding of an American tourist by armed bandits in the Caracol,  Chiquibul Road area and recent attacks in the Augustine area of Mountain Pine Ridge necessitate a public advisory for residents of Belize who may be planning to travel to that area or who have guests/tourists visiting there.

Spanish-speaking bandits armed with hand guns and machetes have made sporadic raids on tourists traveling in vans as well as swimming in the Rio Frio Caves.  The incidents began in Fall 2005.  The most recent attack occurred May 15, 2006. Three vans of tourists were stopped by the bandits and a fourth van, attempting to drive through the hold-up, was fired upon, wounding one American tourist.  From the first van that was stopped, one tourist was sexually assaulted.  Tourists were robbed of cash, jewelry, cameras and passports.  None of the stolen goods have been recovered.

This is a particularly isolated area with no mobile signals accessible for victims to call for police assistance.  While the bandits appear suddenly along the road to stop vans, it is believed that the attacks are well-planned.  The Belize Police Department and Belize Defense Force have coordinated efforts to patrol the area on a regular basis and are working with local resorts, but no arrests have been made.

The Belize Tourism Industry Association issued a notice on May 18: "The BTIA and her sister associations are therefore calling on our collective membership to cease all travel to the remote and isolated areas within the reserves, especially the Rio Frio Caves and the Caracol Maya Site, until adequate and reliable security has been supplied by government on a consistent and efficient basis."

Americans living or traveling in Belize may obtain consular assistance by contacting the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Belize City, located at 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City, telephone 011 501-227-7161/62/63, fax 011 (501) 223-5423; U.S. Embassy Belize Website; E-mail :embbelize@state.gov.  Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for the 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. lunch hour, and U.S. and Belizean holidays.

Updated information on travel in Belize may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or from overseas, 1-202-501-4444.  For further information please consult the Consular Information Sheet for Belize available via the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. Please also see the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement.