By Zoila Palma: On March 3, 2026, the Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard entered into a formal partnership with the Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College (CEMJC) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Commander Belize Defence Force, Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez, and Lieutenant Commander Freddy Ku of the Belize Coast Guard, representing the Commandant Coast Guard, were signatories along with Dean of Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College, Eulalio Torres, and Chairman of the Board, Humberto Juarez.
The BDF says that the MOU represents a collaboration to offer soldiers, sailors, and officers of the security forces an opportunity to further their education, while students of the institution will be able to capitalize on scholarships from the security forces should they choose to join.
The CEMJC staff also gave the security forces representatives a tour of their facility and hosted them for lunch following the formal activities.
The Belize Defence Force and the Coast Guard continue to build partnerships with national institutions to bridge capacity gaps and deliver on national security.