The Friends for Conservation and Development, which co-manages the Chiquibul National Park, is reporting tonight that a joint patrol of FCD rangers and BDF soldiers arrested a Guatemalan cattle rancher, who had illegally set up operation in the Park, and inside Belizean territory.
He has been identified as Jose Ruben Vega Suchite, a resident of the village of Nueva Armenia, Peten Guatemala. According to the FCD, he was found in an area approximately 150 meters inside the Chiquibul. He had approximately 60 heads of cattle that was grazing in a part of the national park that was cleared. The co-managers say that this same rancher was previously detained in the very same area on the June 6th of last year. He was duly warned to remove his cattle and exit Belize. And so, he will be charged with the applicable offenses for this second violation of Belizean laws.
The FCD notes that the illegal clearing of forest canopy for the purposes of cattle farming, has been a major pressure being placed on the Chiquibul. They estimate that approximately 2,700 acres of the forest reserve has been destroyed by persons, believed to Guatemalans, who are engaging in cattle farming.
They also estimate that another 3,575 acres of forests have been cleared for cattle farming in Vaca Forest Reserve, Caracol Archaeological Reserve, Chiquibul National Park and Columbia River Forest Reserve.
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The Friends for Conservation and Development, which co-manages the Chiquibul National Park, is reporting tonight that a joint patrol of FCD rangers and BDF soldiers arrested a Guatemalan cattle rancher, who had illegally set up operation in the Park, and inside Belizean territory.