The Government of Belize has granted a request to protest from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in front of the U.S. Embassy, Belmopan, on Thursday October 9, 2014. The protest is in regard to the United States Southern Command-funded Forward Operating base for the Belize Coast Guard on Hunting Caye.

Belmopan Police have stated that they expect protesters from multiple civil groups and organizations to attend, but they do not know how many participants will be present.

The Embassy recommends that visitors to the Embassy avoid contact with demonstrators if possible and recommends exercising extreme caution when driving in the vicinity of the demonstration.

Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Belize enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at travel.state.gov. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Regularly, monitor the State Department's website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for Belize. For additional information, refer to the "Traveler's Checklist" on the State Department's website.

Contact the U.S. embassy for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to have travel information at your fingertips.

The U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Belmopan is located at 4 Floral Park Road and is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: [+501] 822-4011. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance outside of business hours, the emergency after-hours number for the U.S. Embassy is [+501] 610-5030.