On October 8th, voters of Caye Caulker will make history as they head to the polls for Belize’s first-ever community cannabis referendum. This grassroots initiative, spearheaded by the “Legalize It Caye Caulker” campaign led by village councilor Ilya Rosado, asks voters whether the Government of Belize should establish a regulated, taxable cannabis industry on the island.
The referendum comes after an impressive community mobilization effort that gathered 365 signatures to trigger the vote (more than the 25% of registered electors required). For this small island community, the stakes are high. Supporters argue that legalization could create jobs, generate tax revenue, and establish Caye Caulker as a leader in responsible cannabis tourism.
Echoes of 2022: when Belizean churches blocked national legalization
This local referendum carries particular significance given what happened just three years ago at the national level. In 2022, Belize came remarkably close to full cannabis legalization when the government advanced comprehensive legislation to create a nationwide regulated marijuana industry.
However, the National Evangelical Association in Belize, along with the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches and The Belize Council of Churches, launched an aggressive campaign to stop the measure. These religious organizations mobilized their congregations to petition for a referendum that would allow voters to override Parliament’s decision. The church coalition successfully gathered enough signatures to trigger the national referendum process, effectively halting the legislation’s implementation.
Beyond the signature campaign, opposition from the evangelical churches created significant political pressure. The banking sector and portions of the tourism industry, swayed by the churches’ messaging, also joined the resistance. By July 2022, the national government had abandoned plans for the referendum altogether, citing the estimated $5 million cost of holding the vote. The legalization effort died, leaving Belize with only its 2017 decriminalization law that permits possession of up to 10 grams on private property.
A different path forward for cannabis in Belize
The Caye Caulker referendum represents a fundamentally different approach—one that builds from the community up rather than imposing policy from above. By allowing a single village to decide its own cannabis future, this vote sidesteps some of the national political pressures that derailed the 2022 effort.
Even within the current government, Cabinet members have expressed divergent views on the Caye Caulker initiative, reflecting the continued complexity of cannabis politics in Belize. Yet the referendum proceeds, demonstrating how local democratic action can sometimes succeed where national politics fail.
For Caye Caulker residents, October 8th offers more than just a vote on cannabis policy. It represents an opportunity to chart their own economic future and potentially provide a successful model that other Belizean communities could follow. Whether the evangelical opposition that stopped national legalization three years ago can mobilize effectively against this local initiative remains to be seen. Further, it is unclear what affect the passages of this referendum would actually accomplish since the national government has yet to legalize commercial sales.
As voting day approaches, all eyes are on this small island community, where residents will speak with their vote on whether they want to be pioneers in Belize’s cannabis future or maintain the status quo.
The post Where National Politics Failed, Can Local Democracy Prevail? The Caye Caulker Cannabis Referendum appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP.
