• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result
Home Countries Belize

Is Belize A Safe Country?

Crime And Safety In Sunny Belize

Live And Invest Overseas by Live And Invest Overseas
Oct 27, 2020
in Belize, Lifestyle, Travel
0 0
0
Belize, a tropical paradise in Central America.

iStock/MaRabelo

276
SHARES
3.8k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you want to spend time in Belize… certainly if you’re thinking about moving to Belize, you’ve got to shift your perspective. This country has only been a country since 1981. It’s still figuring things out.

As the Open Road Travel Guide puts it, “Peaceful and non-meddlesome, blissfully unimportant, Belize rarely merits attention in any foreign newspaper.”

The Belizean People

People in Belize.
iStock/Roijoy

At a Live and Invest in Belize conference, Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington spoke about the idiosyncrasy of the Belizean people.

“Belizeans are respectful, polite, and pleasant. They are also peculiar,” Minister Elrington explained.

“If something isn’t working… if there’s some disagreement, some problem or conflict, we just go home. We don’t argue or fight. We just move on.

“Belize was once a colony of Britain,” the minister continued. “This means common law and the English language, two things that make Belize a relatively easy transition for North Americans.

“The British brought in slaves from Africa to cut mahogany. This means the slaves were largely left on their own in the forests and the jungles for extended periods, cutting down trees. As a result, Belizeans today, largely descendent from these North African slaves, are independent and self-reliant. I believe this is also why we don’t argue or complain. When conflict presents itself, we just walk away and figure things out for ourselves.

“Also as a result of this cultural attitude, Belize has very good relations with its neighbors. Belizeans get along with everyone.

“Culturally, the mix is very rich. Belize welcomes immigrants from all around the world. Belize is a melting pot… yet, socially and politically, the scene is very stable,” the minister shared with the attendees.

Indeed, Belize and its people are very easygoing and they cherish their freedom. Visitors often find this freedom intoxicating and choose to ignore the fact that, while the country may not have squad cars cruising the streets or Bobbies patrolling every neighborhood, laws are similar to those in the U.S. and the U.K.

Seatbelt laws are not enforced, but wear a seatbelt for safety. It is even easier to forget since the only place you ever see police are at normal control checkpoints.

Crime In Belize

Statue of justice representing crime in Belize.
iStock/choness

Unlike Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries in the region, Belize has no organized crime. In Belize, no drug cartels are fighting for dominance or control.

Because of the small population the crime statistics are greatly misleading. There are areas in the southern part of Belize City that are best to be avoided, especially at night, but that is the exception in this peaceful country.

That said, there is gang-related crime in some areas of Belize City, but this doesn’t spill over into the general population. Unless you’re looking for a job, Belize City is not a great lifestyle option to move to.

The Cayes, Cayo, Northern Belize, and the Deep South are all better locations for expats. Serious crime statistics can seem high for Belize, until you realize that they really all take place in very localized areas of Belize City. The statistics are still high, but the crimes aren’t something you have to worry about unless you plan to move into a gang-ruled neighborhood in the city’s capital…

The crime rate in Northern Belize, for example, is extremely low and violent crime is virtually nonexistent.

“All expats we know of travel freely through the country and have never reported problems. The only crimes of note are usually crimes of opportunity, where a person becomes careless or complacent and leaves a car window open with a laptop on the seat or a brand-new garden hose sitting by the road unattended for three days,” says Belize Insider Phil Hahn.

These events cause stories to be told of the dishonest nature of Belizeans, but, truthfully, they would have happened anywhere and could easily have been prevented.

Like everywhere, there are certain areas to avoid. In Belize City, avoid the small area on the south side where most of the country’s crime takes place.

Cayo itself has relatively little crime. When going “off the map” near the borders (especially Guatemala) always hire a qualified guide.

The best advice is to observe your surroundings and avoid possibly bad scenarios. Be vigilant in securing valuables. Don’t flaunt your expensive things, boast about your belongings, or flash your wad of cash.

Tags: 'Belize''Cayo''Safety'belize citycrimecrime in belizelive in BelizeMove to Belizenorthern belizeSafety In BelizeTraveltravel to belize
Share116Tweet67
Live And Invest Overseas

Live And Invest Overseas

Live and Invest Overseas is the world's savviest source for top opportunities to live better, retire in style, invest for profit, do business, and own real estate overseas. Established in 2008, the Live and Invest Overseas' editors and correspondents have more experience researching and reporting on top opportunities for living well, investing for profit, doing business, and owning real estate around the world than anyone else you'll find.

Related Posts

iStock/espiegle
Lifestyle

Live On An Island Like Royalty For A Bargain

by Bart Walters
March 21, 2023
0

About 20 years ago, I made a trip to Vancouver, Canada, in February. It was cold, rainy, dark, and miserable....

Read more
View of the seaside town of Dunmore East, County Waterford, Ireland.

How We Made Friends While Living Abroad

March 12, 2023
Beautiful Caribbean sight with turquoise water in Caye Caulker, Belize.

Why You Shouldn’t Get The QRP Visa Of Belize

February 22, 2023
A beautiful red house in Carmelita Gardens, Belize

How I Ended Up In Carmelita Gardens

February 8, 2023
Tavira in Portugal

The 5 Best Places To Live Overseas In 2023

February 2, 2023
Cyprus: Better Than Your Neighbor’s Retirement To Florida

Life On Cyprus: The Secret Brits Don’t Want Americans To Know

January 26, 2023
Cyprus: Better Than Your Neighbor’s Retirement To Florida

Why So Many Expats Are Moving To Belize

January 25, 2023

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas ...

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Get ​Your Free ​Belize Report Today!
 

​Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our ​FREE REPORT – ​​Discover Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rain Forest… Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living
 

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2023

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Download your FREE report on

The Best Places To Retire In 2023

New Year, New You, New Life Overseas

Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY

Get Your Free ​​Belize Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​BELIZE and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: Belize ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​Discover Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rain Forest… Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living