Belize wants the Tren Maya to extend into Central America

Belize Prime Minister Johnny Briceño presented a formal plan to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for a two-phase expansion of the Tren Maya into the Central American nation.

The plan’s first phase would involve extending the Tren Maya rail network just 7 km to the border between Mexico and Belize.

The second and more ambitious part of the plan would see the Tren Maya enter Belize, sticking relatively close to the coast, all the way to Belize City, and then inland toward Guatemala.

The Belizean PM said the move would help “strengthen regional ties as well as aid in the economic development of all nations involved.”

While Mexico’s state department has not yet responded officially to the plan, Sheinbaum says she supports it.

This is not the first time the idea of Tren Maya connectivity with Central America has made the news, but it is the first official proposal to be delivered to the Mexican President. 

Archaeological sites in Belize, such as Lamanai, Xunantunich, and El Caracol, are impressive, though in some cases quite challenging to access. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

No details have yet been discussed regarding how such an expansion of the already huge Tren Maya rail network would be financed. Talk of expanding the rail network into Central America has also raised the eyebrows of those who see the yet-to-be-completed Tren Maya as an unfinished white elephant that is unlikely to ever be financially feasible, at least in its current form.

Much like the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize is known for its pristine beaches, Mayan archaeological sites, and impressive biodiversity. But despite their similarities, Belize and Mexico are very different in their history of colonization, independence, and ethnic makeup. This is to say nothing of language, as the official language of Belize is English, though Spanish is spoken widely, especially in the nation’s north.  

Reports of cancelations of scheduled departures of the Tren Maya attributed to extremely low ticket sales appear to back up this concern. 

With a population of approximately 400,000 and a GPD of roughly 3.5 billion USD, the tiny nation is unlikely to be able to foot the bill for its part of the railroad. 

Despite being neighbors, Mexico and Belize have historically not been strong economic partners. Belize’s exports to Mexico are negligible, and its imports make up only roughly 7%. 

Belize is known for having some of the best beaches in Central America and spectacular SCUBA diving. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Belizeans with valid passports do not need a visa to enter Mexico for tourism purposes, unlike nationals of most Central American countries in the region, including Guatemala and El Salvador. 

Given the recent surge in migrant caravans crossing borders from Central America into Mexico with the United States as their final destination, there is also the added complication of likely pressures from the US State Department in what could be perceived as aiding illegal immigration into México.

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