Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BELMOPAN342
2007-05-17 21:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Belmopan
Cable title:  

BELIZE: POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS PLANNED

Tags:  PGOV ASEC BH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8845
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHBE #0342 1372133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 172133Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0546
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000342 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CEN//JASON MACK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ASEC BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS PLANNED
FOR FRIDAY MAY 18.

REF: BELMOPAN 330

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000342

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CEN//JASON MACK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ASEC BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS PLANNED
FOR FRIDAY MAY 18.

REF: BELMOPAN 330


1. A special session of the Belizean House of
Representatives has been called for Friday, May

18. The Prime Minister was forced to convene the
meeting to address dissent over his decision to
provide a government guarantee of a 33 million
dollar private debt (reftel). He will presumably
request a vote to authorize the government to
honor a guarantee made to the Belize Bank in

2004.


2. In response, the opposition has called for
protest demonstrations to be held outside the
parliament building during the special session.
The opposition plans to bus in supporters from
around the country and hopes for a crowd of
5,000. An opposition leader in northern Orange
Walk District told us that he was arranging for
55 busloads of supporters, around 3,000 people,
from his area alone. The government has also
called for a counter-demonstration of support.
The Superintendent of Police has informed the
Embassy that he expects as many as 7,000
protestors and that he ?is prepared for the
worst,? but hopes that there is no violence. A
similar demonstration in Belmopan in 2005 got out
of control and resulted in significant damage.

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