Introduction
The United States has designated Belize as a “Major Drug Transit Country” for years, painting a picture of Belize as a key player in the international drug trade. But how can the U.S., with any credibility, make such an accusation when it is the U.S. government itself that played a leading role in turning Belize into a drug corridor? The facts and historical data point to a far more sinister narrative—one where Belizeans are used as pawns, and the drug trade is fueled by the very nation that now seeks to hold us accountable.
The U.S. government, led by agencies like the CIA and the DEA, has been deeply entrenched in drug trafficking activities for decades. For over 30 years, U.S. agents have been caught red-handed in Belize, facilitating the very drug trade they publicly claim to fight. And yet, President Joe Biden and his administration continue to turn a blind eye to this, shifting the blame to Belize and labeling us a “drug transit country” while ignoring their own culpability.
Read the Full Report Here from the White House:
Memorandum from U.S. President Joe Biden
CIA and DEA Caught Red-Handed in Belize
For decades, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have operated in Belize, engaging in questionable—if not outright illegal—activities. Several times over the last 30 years, DEA and CIA agents have been caught red-handed using Belize as a hub for drug smuggling operations. These incidents are not isolated; they represent a consistent pattern of U.S. government involvement in drug trafficking.
How else would the U.S. know so much about the drug trade in Belize? It’s not because of the law-abiding Belizeans who work hard on their farms and in their businesses. The real reason the U.S. has intimate knowledge of Belize’s drug narrative is that their own agents have been directly involved in these operations, often using Belizean lands and farms to land planes loaded with drugs.
The facts are clear: U.S. agents have been implicated in facilitating the landing of planes carrying drugs from South America into Belize, using remote farms and rural areas as drop points. The involvement of CIA and DEA agents in these activities highlights the deep-rooted hypocrisy of the U.S. government. They set up the networks, establish the routes, and then turn around and blame Belize for the problem they created.
U.S. Exploitation of Belizean Farmers
One of the most egregious aspects of the U.S.’s involvement in Belize’s drug trade is its exploitation of Belizean farmers. For years, farmers have unknowingly been caught up in this international web of crime. U.S. agents, working with drug cartels, have used Belize’s rural farmlands to land planes carrying drugs. These farmers, who are trying to make an honest living, have been manipulated by a foreign government more interested in its geopolitical agenda than the well-being of Belizeans.
The planes land on their property, drugs are offloaded, and the U.S. benefits from the continued flow of narcotics. This is how the United States knows so much about the drug trade in Belize—because it has orchestrated and sustained it for its own benefit. Belizeans, by contrast, do not have a drug problem. That is uniquely an American issue, caused by the U.S. government itself. The demand for drugs in the United States fuels the entire system, and rather than confront their own domestic crisis, they export the blame to countries like Belize.
The U.S.’s Unique Drug Problem
Let’s be absolutely clear: Belize does not have a drug problem. That problem belongs to the United States, which has been battling a self-inflicted epidemic of drug abuse for decades. From the opioid crisis to rampant cocaine use, the U.S. government has failed to address the root causes of its drug problem. Instead, it projects its failures onto smaller countries like Belize, which are left to deal with the fallout of U.S.-fueled drug demand and U.S.-engineered drug networks.
Belizean society does not suffer from widespread drug addiction like the United States. The people of Belize are not the ones consuming these massive quantities of drugs. The drugs are flowing through Belize, orchestrated by foreign interests, to satisfy the insatiable demand from the United States.
“Belize does not have a drug problem—that is uniquely an American issue.” – Ewing Redmond Samuels III
The U.S. Drug Trade Hypocrisy: Oliver North, Iran-Contra, and Beyond
To truly understand how Belize became a so-called “drug transit country,” we must look back at the infamous Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, when the U.S. government, under the Reagan administration, was caught selling arms to Iran and using the profits to fund the Nicaraguan Contras. The problem? They needed even more money to finance this illegal operation, so they turned to the drug trade.
Here is a list of U.S. Involvement so far:
1. Iran-Contra Affair (1980s)
- The U.S. used drug money to fund the Nicaraguan Contras, with Belize as a key transit point for cocaine. The CIA was implicated in allowing drug shipments through Belize to support its political objectives. Report from Congress.
2. Operation Milagro (2000)
- Belizean authorities uncovered a drug smuggling operation linked to Colombia. The DEA was involved but suspected of having prior knowledge of the routes and using them to gather intelligence without fully stopping the trade.
3. 2007 Drug Plane Landings
- Drug planes were found landing in Belize, with local authorities suspecting the DEA had prior knowledge but did little to stop the operations, reinforcing Belize’s role as a U.S.-facilitated drug transit hub.
4. Los Zetas and Belize (2010)
- The Mexican cartel Los Zetas used Belize as a drug smuggling route. U.S. intelligence agencies were suspected of monitoring the operations but allowing them to continue to gather intelligence on cartels.
5. 2011 Northern Belize Cocaine Bust
- Over 2,600 pounds of cocaine were seized in Belize, en route to the U.S. Belizean officials suspected the DEA had delayed sharing intelligence, compromising local authorities’ ability to act sooner.
6. 2018 Drug Plane Landings in Southern Belize
- Several drug planes were found in southern Belize, with suspicion that U.S. DEA selectively intervened, allowing Belize to bear the brunt of the drug transit problem.
7. 2021 Money Laundering and Drug Connections
- Belizean banks were linked to drug-related money laundering. There were concerns that U.S. financial institutions knew about the schemes but didn’t act until the money flowed through Belize.
8. Various Airstrip Discoveries (2010–2020)
- Drug planes frequently used Belizean airstrips, with suspicions that the U.S. DEA and CIA were monitoring but not preventing these landings, possibly to serve broader U.S. intelligence goals.
The Unipolar Designation: A Tool for Control
The United States’ unipolar designation of Belize as a drug transit country is not just a bureaucratic classification—it is a deliberate and unfriendly act of control. By labeling Belize in this way, the U.S. ensures that it can exert influence over our economy, politics, and law enforcement. This designation allows the U.S. to interfere in Belize’s sovereign affairs under the guise of “helping” us fight the drug trade. But let’s call it what it really is: economic and political manipulation designed to keep Belize subservient to U.S. interests.
“The U.S. government, through agencies like the CIA and DEA, has been complicit in turning Belize into a drug transit country,” – Ewing Redmond Samuels III
The U.S. is not our friend in this fight. In fact, they are part of the very problem they claim to be solving. Their unipolar world view forces small countries like Belize to suffer the consequences of U.S. drug demand, all while holding us accountable for the mess they created.
The Biden Administration: More of the Same
President Joe Biden, like his predecessors, continues to perpetuate this narrative of Belize as a “drug transit country” while ignoring the historical and current involvement of the U.S. government in sustaining these drug networks. Biden, who has long championed tough-on-crime policies, is no stranger to the hypocrisy of the drug war. His administration talks of fighting for justice and equality while simultaneously blaming Belize for a problem that is entirely American in origin.
How much longer will Belize be scapegoated for the United States’ failures? Biden and his administration must be held accountable for their continued exploitation of Belize. The U.S. government must stop using Belize as a political pawn in its war on drugs and start addressing the real issue—their own insatiable demand for narcotics.
Conclusion: The U.S. Must Own Its Role
The facts are undeniable. Belize does not have a drug problem—that is uniquely an American issue. The U.S. government, through agencies like the CIA and DEA, has been complicit in turning Belize into a drug transit country, and it’s time for them to own up to their role in this narrative. President Biden, like those before him, continues to perpetuate this lie to maintain control over Belize.
“The U.S. is not our friend in this fight. In fact, they are part of the very problem they claim to be solving.” – Ewing Redmond Samuels III
It’s time for Belize to push back. We will not allow the U.S. to dictate our narrative, and we will not be held responsible for their failures. The truth is on our side, and the world needs to know it.
Until Next Time…
I Am,
Ewing Redmond Samuels III
Sources:
- The Kerry Committee Report, 1989
- U.S. Congressional Reports on Iran-Contra Scandal
- Investigative reports on DEA and CIA activities in Belize