I resided in the motor home and used the pickup for my transportation and work vehicle.
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They were both insured in Belize.
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When entering the country, I paid the required Import Deposit of more than $6,000.00 US dollars
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was advised when the vehicles departed the country this deposit would be returned.
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One week prior to my having to depart Belize to return to the US for urgent medical care, the motor home burned to the ground
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I told them I must leave several days before the day I had to go
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the fire to my motor home was 'Arson' and decided that I should be arrested and charged with a crime.
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I am in the United States
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the Belmopan Police went to my property
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they found some that was listed as burned
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I had duplicate property of several things
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This Superintendent Guzman refuses to answer my e-mails, telephone calls and regular mails
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The Belize Government refused to refund my Deposited $6,000.00

At first i thought it may just be a few incidents, but the belize news even broadcasts the corruption. Are there similar countrys located in South America that do not have these type of problems and welcome retiring peoples from abroad?

There are estimated 300,000 people living in Belize with estimates of 150,000 in the US. I am a card carryng NRA member,love to target shoot and hunt, so moving here and having to get rid of all my guns was very hard, but I have as yet ever felt the need for carrying any weapon.

As I mentioned, you really need to try an extended visit to Toledo, live there a while, get to know the area, the culture and make some friends. See what your assessment is of the area.

I am quite surprised at the statistics you are mentioning. Here on the island we certainly have significantly more births than deaths - of course this is just one small island - a tiny microcosm of the entire nation.

For info on Toledo you would be much better off visiting a Belize message board forum where there are more people that have experienced life in those areas.

Ambergris Caye is absolutely nothing like the Toledo district.

It is probably time to come for a visit so that you can formulate your own opinions based on facts - not info you are are gathering from an anonymous message board.

Good luck, enjoy and report back.

Many Belizeans emigrate to the US when possible for better opportunities, jobs, etc. Many of the young leave Belize for the US to attend school/college. So much of the population increase in Belize moves to other countries. You can speak to almost any Belizean family and find they have many relatives living in the US

As far as my daughter, I dealt with the family and the father myself. He was an honorable man and was horrified at what his son had done. The boy recieved a beating he will not ever forget. His family loved him through it and we remain friends to this day. There is a criminal justice system to deal with these problems, but I knew he would have been way more damaged by being in the prison system in Belize. And part we learned is the differences of Belizean thinking versus US. In Belize most families live in one big room. In this case the young boy slept in the same bed as his mom and dad. In his mind this was normal as he saw his parents doing it all the time. Children here are exposed to much more than our chidren at a very early age.

Hi Darin111,

Having lived in Belize for 8+ years (moved back to my home turf six months ago), I think that I might have a few experiences and viewpoints to share.

Life in San Pedro is indeed very different from life in Toledo. You will have to come and spend quite some time in both places before you decide, I would think.

Belize is a true melting pot (cultural, racial, religious, etc.), and nowhere on this planet will one find as tolerant and welcoming a place as Belize. I can say this from experience, having lived in six very different countries and having traveled for work or leisure all over the planet to more countries than I care to mention.

It is very true that Belize has a lot of corruption and power abuse going on, and that this is happening at all levels of administration. Unfortunately this has everything to do with the greedy and power-hungry part of human nature, which is sadly present everywhere people live, and has got nothing to do with the people of Belize in general.

The main difference between corruption in Belize and i.e. the U.S., the U.K. or mainland Europe, is that in Belize this is pretty much out in the open, exposed to a point where it becomes funny-sad, while it, in the other places mentioned, is mostly happening among the highest placed officials and the wealthier few.

While there is absolutely no excuse for corruption, no matter where or who it is, you will have to understand that the relatively young, and relatively poor nation of Belize has seen more than its share of temptation from "rich gringos" who over the past 20 years have had no problem with corruption, as long as it served their own agenda. No, the guys who used to sell driver's licenses and passports; sign crazy building permits; allow people to destroy precious natural resources (unfortunately some still do) are not innocent at all, in fact they are hardcore criminals according to Belize law; but one must also understand the cultural invasion and the temptation that these people have been exposed to over the years.

I have zero respect for the elected and appointed people who take bribes and steal from the people; but on that same note I must have as little respect for the people who bribe them, and thereby exploit this beautiful country and its friendly people, be it by securing a dredging and building permit, or obtaining residency or nationality by "donating" money; vehicles; favors etc.

The solution is not to stay away from Belize out of fear from something that, in one shape or another, takes place in a lot of countries - but to avoid supporting this unfortunate situation by doing what most of us would expect from newcomers to our countries: Follow the rules, no matter what they are - and then raise your voice against which ever rule; regulation; government official etc.; or even bribe them if that's your crazy idea of how things should work, once you have legally obtained permanent residence status or citizenship. Then you will have a very good life in Belize. It worked for me, and I would not be able to tell you about one single case of me being robbed; feeling insecure; threatened or otherwise abused, even if I desperately wanted to.

In regards to safety, I can only say that if you stay out of trouble; don't do drugs; don't try to bypass laws, regulations, taxes etc. the "easy way"; don't flash your wealth - and just try to be a good neighbor and show your appreciation for Belize being one of the most immigrant friendly nations on the planet, you will have absolutely nothing to fear.

It is true that Belize has a disturbingly high murder rate, but if you stay out of drug dealing and other stupid enterprises, you will find that mostly anywhere outside the very troubled neighborhoods of Belize City will feel like Paradise and a safe haven in a big bad world. Yes, you will see break-ins and robberies, but they won't hit you if you put on you thinking hat once in a while, just like you would everywhere else.

I am not trying to make excuses for bad things going on in Belize. I personally find it disturbing and disgusting that the country does not even bother to enforce the international laws that the government itself has signed. The country has big problems and is high on the list of countries with corruption; poor animal protection; music/software/TV piracy etc., but if someone would bother making a list of the friendliest people; the most welcoming place for tourists; the least racism and the highest degree of integration of foreigners, Belize would probably be close, if not at the top of such lists.

The people of Belize are no different from other people, except from the fact that they are in a very small country, being constantly bombarded with outside influences and shady developers who work hand in hand with greedy people, while they are yet willing and able to defend their integrity and unique culture with a smile on their faces + are more welcoming and tolerant towards foreigners, and generally accept you for who you are, not what you are...

Hope this gives you a little useful info from an ex-resident who has no agenda.
... And trust me, you'd be just fine without NRA and your precious guns here. I protected my place with a mag-lite, and I never had to use it for anything but finding my way back home from the beach bar.

Good luck, what ever you decide to do.