ABC News on the (Possible?) Dangers of Belize

[KathyV]

I live in the Chicago area and the dangers of living, working, and/or visiting the city are not a surprise to me. And there are parts of Chicago that I would definitely avoid - especially after dark.

I have only been to Belize twice. I never felt any danger on Ambergris Caye and we went exploring as far as we could until the mosquitoes drove us back. When we were in Belize City I didn't much care for the area around the harbor but I know that almost every city has a seedy part of town. We took one escorted bus tour and stayed close to the hotel before boarding our liveaboard. Both of our trips to Belize were great fun and excellent diving and I have good memories of those trips.

Three weeks ago an ABC Channel 7 Chicago News producer was brutally murdered in Belize. She was staying at an equestrian ranch on vacation. She was practicing her yoga exercises on a riverside platform at the lodge when she was attacked, murdered, and her body was dumped in the river. The local police don't have any suspects.

The Channel 7 News team have lost one of their own and they have launched a comprehensive (and somewhat relentless) campaign to cover her death and the efforts of law enforcement agents. And they recently launched a campaign about the hidden dangers of visiting Belize. They say that Belize has the 3rd highest murder rate in the world and twice the rate of Chicago and higher than any US city. And that the local law enforcement are not equipped to handle this situation. They said that 70% of murder arrests in the US result in a conviction but only 3% of murder arrests in Belize lead to an conviction.

I realize that no place is 100% safe and you have to use common sense and be smart and careful wherever you go in the world, but I was a bit surprised to hear these statistics about the violence in Belize - a place that I have visited and loved. Belize is a poor country and I am sure that stories like this are going to hurt the tourism industry. I hope that the local government can control the violence and combat the bad press. Here is the link for the most recent ABC News report:

Dangers in Paradise: What Belize tourists aren't being told

 

[mmmbelows]

When Chicago can find a place more violent than itself, that's something.

 

[KathyV]

When Chicago can find a place more violent than itself, that's something.

There were 50 murders in Chicago in January, but when you adjust the rate for the population and then say that Belize has twice that rate - it gives you pause.

 

[Littlerayray]

I understand ABC's viewpoint but may I suggest taking it with a grain of salt. They lost, one of their own. Their reporting will be biased and possibly make it sound worse then it is. They are a news broadcasting company, where ratings matter. I believe Belize is dangerous but not as dangerous as they report and may have indulged on some of their facts. It wouldn't be the first time that a news company made a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[drrich2]

"It was the emerald hills of western Belize that attracted ABC7 web producer Anne Swaney. She was staying at an equine lodge last month when someone attacked her and dragged her body into the Mopan River."

"In the very same district where Anne was murdered, northern Indiana native Paul Signorino and an American friend were killed in a machete and gun attack last May."

"Only three percent of Belize homicides result in convictions."

So it didn't happen in a bar in a seedy section of town one night, or walking home drunk through an alley. She was doing yoga.

The impression I had from reading about Belize historically was that Belize City was a potentially dangerous place, don't wander after dark, alone or in seedy looking areas, but that the rest of the country was okay. Sounds like that's not quite the case.

Any thoughts on whether the risk factor in Belize is particularly localized to a small number of dangerous locales (and is this western district one of them?), or is this too widespread to make such generalizations?

Richard.

 

[katzgar]

There is nothing mysterious about any of this. All information is available if people just do a search. The vast majority of violence is on the S. side of Belize City and drug related. Poor countries are poor because they dont have much money which means police training will be poor. Things like theft and fraud will be more likely, you know account of poverty? Belize is adding 60 more cops but their training will still be poor. there is not a single sewage treatment plant in the entire country of El Salvador, because they are poor. Belize tourism was up 20,000 people in 2015. The FBI is helping with the ABC murder. Honduras, El Salvador and Guat are called the northern triangle and compromise the most dangerous area on earth yet thousands of tourists go there every year. The violence will stop when Americans grow up and stop using Colombian drugs which transit CA

 

[katzgar]

Please stay out of Chicago, the murder rate is worse that the worlds most dangerous countries.
America’s Mass-Shooting Capital Is Chicago

 

[KathyV]

I know all about Chicago and I have no illusions; I was born and raised in the city. Now I live in the suburbs but work in the city.

But we were talking about Belize and the rather surprising ABC News statement that it has twice the murder rate of Chicago and higher than any US city.

 

[Littlerayray]

Yes but is it per capita or on the whole

 

[KathyV]

If it is the "murder rate" as ABC News is claiming, then it should be adjusted for the size of the population in order to make the data comparative.