Belize Riots in 2005
Mid-January 2005 broke in Belmopan , the capital of Belize , unrest from. The reason was the publication of the new state budget with strong tax increases. Another reason was anger at the People's United Party (PUP) because of the deteriorating financial health of the Belizean government.
The government of Said Musa published its budget for the period 2005–2006 on January 13, 2005. The new budget contained large tax increases on various services and goods . An increase in the property transfer tax by eleven percent, the tax for financial institutions by five percent, the tobacco tax by eight percent and the rum tax by 100 percent were planned. The government claimed these increases were similar to the increases made by the previous administration in 1998 when the United Democratic Party (UDP) was in power. However, after years of widespread frustration over alleged mismanagement and corruption by the United People's Party (PUP), the new budget sparked protests at the National Assembly building on January 15 , leading to confrontations between protesters and police forces. The demonstrations continued the following week.
On January 20, business and trade unions called for a two-day general strike . Because of a lack of labor, the water supply for almost all of Belize collapsed. On January 21, local media reported isolated demonstrations in Belmopan , during which government buildings were set on fire and roadblocks were erected. Ministers on their way to a government building were attacked with stones and bottles, leading to police and military intervention and protesters being pushed back. Cameras were reportedly installed outside some buildings where further demonstrations were expected. The government buildings were barricaded.
It is the third time this type of public protest has rocked the country. The last time there was unrest was when a proposal was published in 1980 to cede part of the land to Guatemala .
A large opposition demonstration took place in Belmopan on January 21st (the ruling PUP reportedly was planning a counter-demonstration). This large demonstration in front of the National Assembly building in Belmopan turned into violence when the demonstrators threw stones at the police forces and shot them at the demonstrators with rubber bullets and tear gas . The gunfire and sirens could be heard from a distance of 1 km. There was at least one crack that was significantly louder than gunfire; but its origin remained unclear. Several demonstrators were arrested. Permission for the demonstration ended at 3:00 p.m. but was extended by an hour. At the end of the deadline, several calls to resolve were ignored. Thereupon Inspector Jefferires read the riot act and after another 40 minutes he gave the order to the emergency services to break up the demonstration. Rubber bullets and tear gas were used. Some union officials lay down in the street and had to be dragged away.
The police remained calm throughout the day, but it was alleged that individual police cadets used unnecessary force against their orders. On the other hand, it is reported that fully trained police officers reprimanded these police candidates and expelled them from the area. But some witnesses assert that the escalation that led to the stone throwing was only triggered by an attack by a police candidate on a demonstrator who hit a demonstrator in the head with a stick .
