ACTION REQUEST: POST'S ASSESSMENT OF CENTRAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELMOPAN 000494 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN SAN SALVADOR FOR LEGATT AND URA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2017 TAGS: PREL PINS PTER BH SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: POST'S ASSESSMENT OF CENTRAL AMERICA SECURITY REQUIREMENTS REF: SECSTATE 107145 Classified By: Charge Leonard A. Hill for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Our assessment, based on discussions within Country Team and with regional law enforcement officers covering Belize, is that inclusion in regional efforts to strengthen border protection and to combat alien smuggling would be of great benefit. Anti-gang efforts aimed at preventing gangs from becoming rooted here would also be extremely useful. And as with many countries in the region, official corruption in Belize is a major obstacle to better law enforcement and an improved security situation, so regional efforts aimed at addressing corruption -- while not necessarily always welcome from the government's perspective -- are necessary. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Embassy appreciates the opportunity to comment on security requirements for Belize as part of a broader regional strategy. We note that the crime situation here, while quite different from that of neighboring countries, is not moving in a positive direction. Particularly since the termination of INL programs here, Belize could definitely benefit from inclusion in regional programs, and at a political level would welcome the opportunity to expand the activities and effectiveness of SICA. We anticipate that Belize would also seek to foster law enforcement cooperation between SICA and CARICOM. Given the country's small population and lack of resources, even small amounts of money go a long way here. POROUS BORDERS -------------- ¶3. (C) From our perspective the major security problem Belize faces stems from lack of control over its borders. Alien, drug and arms smuggling are serious problems that are not getting better. Corruption allegations have reached the top ranks of the Immigration and Customs departments, and problems appear pervasive at the police working levels. The Embassy has made some headway with the establishment of a small Belize National Coast Guard and the use of Enduring Friendship money to equip and train a military Special Boat Unit for border patrols. Through military and other channels we are providing training and equipment to help Belize better control its borders and airspace. ¶4. (C) Ultimately, the problem with border control and alien smuggling comes down to personnel resources. Belize has large land and maritime borders and a population of less than 300,000. Employing huge numbers of people to guard the borders simply isn't practical or economically viable. Inclusion in an effective regional border control program, however, could be extremely useful as a way to combine efforts with neighboring countries to make the most of the relatively few people that Belize can deploy for this task. GANG PREVENTION -------------- ¶5. (C) The gangs currently operating in Belize are largely home-grown neighborhood affairs focusing on the retail drug trade. Belize does not yet seem to have well-established transnational gangs, but indications are that this situation will not last much longer. MS-13 "tags" believed to be associated with shipments of drugs and weapons through Belize have been spotted in several areas of the country and our assessment is that it is only a matter of time before organized violent gangs start to move in. ¶6. (C) Belize could benefit from being part of a regional anti-gang strategy. The focus here would be on prevention: educating youth; doing more, and more effective, community policing in areas likely to be afflicted by gangs; sharing information on regional best practices for legislation; and training police and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute gang-related crime. Another useful idea is that of exchanges between police departments in the region and in cities like Los Angeles where there is significant expertise in preventing and combating gangs. ¶7. (C) We understand that LEGATT San Salvador is considering establishing a Regional Anti-Gang Officer position. We believe that Belize could benefit from inclusion in this program. CORRUPTION -------------- ¶8. (C) Last but by far not least, Belize needs to be included in regional efforts to combat corruption. Our sense is that the corruption among government officials (elected as well as public servants) and the police is growing to major proportions. Public confidence in institutions like the police continues to slip, and there seems to be no impetus at the political level to turn this around. From our perspective anti-corruption efforts are fundamental to anything we want to do in the security sphere. If the community has no confidence in the police, in immigration, in customs, then much of the time, money and effort we expend to improve border security or to prevent gang formation will be wasted. ¶9. (C) The anti-corruption aspect of the strategy will be the hardest to craft and execute, but in the end it is probably the most important. Without it, we have a difficult time seeing how corrupt individuals and institutions which lack public support can possibly be effective in improving the country's -- or the region's -- security situation. We expect a lot of resistance to anti-corruption initiatives from those benefiting from the current state of affairs, but the effort has to be made. HILL