The southern part of the Chiquibul continues to be under pressure from Guatemalans pressing into Belizean territory for farmlands.
On Friday, a joint BDF and FCD patrol found three Guatemalans half a kilometer into the Chiquibul National Park. They were working on an agricultural plot with crocus sacks full of corn.
The three men are from the Peten region - and they were all detained.
They were taken on the very long trek back to the Cebada Conservation Post, then to the Tapir Conservation Post, and then to the San Ignacio Police Station where they were handed over to the Police at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. They are being held pending charges of illegal entry and illegal farming in the Chiquibul National Park.
According to the FCD, this area of Cebada has been steadily been used by Guatemalan nationals for farming and cattle ranching. To protect that area, the Cebada Conservation Post was inaugurated in June of 2018 and manned by the BDF, Forest Officers and FCD Rangers "with the aim of reducing the human footprint" in the protected area.
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