Travel Alert – U.S. Embassy Belmopan, Belize (25-MAR-2020)
Location: Belize
Event: U.S. Embassy Belmopan reminds everyone to maintain a high level of situational awareness at all times, especially during these difficult times of COVID -19. Crimes of opportunity tend to increase when people feel they have no options and believe the police are occupied with other matters.
As the government of Belize continues to issue more directives to promote social distancing there may be instances of civil unrest. Many people, under stress, may resort to aggressive or violent behavior. Be aware of what is happening around you when in Belmopan or other areas. Grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals, and gas stations may be areas where the chances of people getting frustrated or desperate are particularly high. Police and military are stretched extremely thin at this time and responses to incidents may be even more delayed than usual. If you sense something is wrong, trust your instincts and immediately leave the area.
Also, Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City is now closed for commercial transportation for a minimum of 30 days. U.S. Embassy Belmopan is compiling a list of persons seeking to leave Belize. If you are a U.S. citizen who is considering returning to the United States from Belize, please follow the two steps below.
- Please enroll in STEP at https://step.state.gov/ Note: If you are having difficulty enrolling in STEP please contact American Citizens Services at ACSBelize@state.gov .
- Provide your name and contact information to our email address: belmopanuscitizen@state.gov so we can contact you as soon as we have any updates.
Your email message should include the following information:
- Your full name as spelled in your passport
- Information we can use to contact you now – a current phone number and email address.
- Your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY)
- Your passport number, and its date of issuance and expiration. If it is not a U.S. passport, please note the country that issued it. Please also note any non-U.S. citizen immediate family members traveling with you.
- Please note your current location (city and country) and any special needs you may have, such as medical issues.
