Posted: 8/3/2015 12:43:57 PM EDT
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The official tourist and retirement info from Belize makes that small Central American country look and sound like heaven. But wait...........a search of unbiased net sites discloses the truth. Belize is one of the 10 highest crime rate countries in the world! Lots of murders, robberies, etc., and very few arrests. No good hospitals. Lots of people living in deep poverty. Possession of guns or ammo for self-defense = prison. Very bad economy. Population 90% non-whites. Dangerous as hell. Most gringos live in gated and guarded condos and off shore.
Thinking of buying there? Go for a short visit first! Personally, I think South Padre Island TX is a much better retirement destination. 
Anyone on here ever spent time or owned a home in Belize? |
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Are you saying Panama is the place to retire to? Are guns for self-defense legal? Crime? Economy? Cost of good housing? Quoted:
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I am in Rural Panama right now. Lots of expats here. Even met one with a Molon Labe hat. I think your looking at the wrong country... Are you saying Panama is the place to retire to? Are guns for self-defense legal? Crime? Economy? Cost of good housing? Slow down cowboy. I am figuring all that out for myself. But early indications are yes. Make no mistake though; there are going to be trade offs. But I will say this; the people here are in many ways more free then America's have been in a long time. |
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Slow down cowboy. I am figuring all that out for myself. But early indications are yes. Make no mistake though; there are going to be trade offs. But I will say this; the people here are in many ways more free then America's have been in a long time. Quoted:
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I am in Rural Panama right now. Lots of expats here. Even met one with a Molon Labe hat. I think your looking at the wrong country... Are you saying Panama is the place to retire to? Are guns for self-defense legal? Crime? Economy? Cost of good housing? Slow down cowboy. I am figuring all that out for myself. But early indications are yes. Make no mistake though; there are going to be trade offs. But I will say this; the people here are in many ways more free then America's have been in a long time. Where are you at? |
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What part of Panama are you at? I spent a few years there courtesy of uncle Sam back in the 80'S. I know it was a lifetime ago but there seemed to be a lot of corruption and drugs under the Noriega regime. The country is beautiful, people were pretty decent if you got away from Panama City. I was thinking at the time gun ownership was a bit of a no-no but I could be mistaken. I would go back for a visit but I don't know if I would want to live there for the rest of my life....
I have a friend whose brother is a missionary in Belize, says the crime there is horrible. He said they steal everything that isn't cemented to the ground. Beautiful county though. |
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Quoted:
Are you saying Panama is the place to retire to? Are guns for self-defense legal? Crime? Economy? Cost of good housing? Quoted:
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I am in Rural Panama right now. Lots of expats here. Even met one with a Molon Labe hat. I think your looking at the wrong country... Are you saying Panama is the place to retire to? Are guns for self-defense legal? Crime? Economy? Cost of good housing? You live in TX? I'd venture to say that if you criteria are: guns legal for self-defense, low crime, good economy, and affordable housing that you are in the right state to retire. I lived in Guatemala for 2 years and saw what it was like to live in a situation where there was essentially no rule of law. In retrospect, Guatemala can be a pretty dangerous place. Belize is right there next to it. As far as them being English speaking, I had a guy from Belize talk to me in English. I couldn't understand a word he said. I asked him (in Spanish) to please just speak to me in Spanish. I understood that way better. I've spent enough time in Central and South America to know that I want to stay in the U.S. of A. I don't mean that as a slight to people living in those countries or the way of life there. On the contrary, I very much appreciate and love the way of life of those who live in rural Guatemala. But as far as I'm concerned, it could never be "home" for me. |
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Had a friend that grew up there and moved to the US, joined the Army and became a CSM. He is going back after he retires. He says that alot of the "laws" are a general guideline and only for the peasants. It's not unusual to kill an attacker and have the police just come to pick up the body. If you are an ex-pat, then you bet they will hold you to the letter of the law. He still has family there and that is why he is going back. Living in and area that is either off the beaten path or in a rich community will be your best bet.
A good positive is a CSM with 25+ years of service pension and he will be very comfortable. |
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Wife and I spent several weeks wandering around Belize, travelled via ferry, taxi's, public busses. Beautiful country, friendly people, very well maintained roads, FRESH food, excellent seafood, absurdly LOW taxes. Example : house with electricity, plumbing, fenced yard, and school 1/2 mile down the road : property taxes $12 dollars, and you have to pay every 2nd year. . Yes, a lot of garbage on the ground, just like Mexico. I think most of the Murdering goes on up by the border with Guatemala and Mexico. Also, Belize City is best avoided, just like Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, Memphis, etc..... |
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If it is so bad, why are people moving there? My guess is that it's (1) the banking laws that protect American resident's $$$$$ from the American IRS, (2) Easy to become a citizen, (3) all the pretty Belize beach ads on American TV. Yearly murder rate in Belize = 40 per 100k of the population. To give you a comparison yearly murder rate in McAllan TX, which is on the Mexican border and 90% Latino, is 4 per 140k. Of course, in TX any law-abiding resident who wants to carry can get a Concealed Handgun License, which is a big deterrence to crime. 
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Spent some time there.
Belize City resembles some of the nastier cities in Africa. Outside the cities, people are generally friendly, although they segregate themselves based on heritage. As is usual in Central American countries, poverty (and property crime) abound. The land outside the cities, particularly along Hummingbird Highway, is beautiful and extremely rural. Fishing, diving and local foods are excellent but you better hope you never have a medical incident (trust me, I know). |
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Wife and I spent several weeks wandering around Belize, travelled via ferry, taxi's, public busses. Beautiful country, friendly people, very well maintained roads, FRESH food, excellent seafood, absurdly LOW taxes. Example : house with electricity, plumbing, fenced yard, and school 1/2 mile down the road : property taxes $12 dollars, and you have to pay every 2nd year. . Yes, a lot of garbage on the ground, just like Mexico. I think most of the Murdering goes on up by the border with Guatemala and Mexico. Also, Belize City is best avoided, just like Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, Memphis, etc..... Yes, this. The border along Guatemala is rife with people who are robbery specialists. Especially around the old Mayan ruins, beware. Also, the last time I was there, it was a little unnerving to be stopped at a military roadblock and literally a little guy in a monkeysuit uniform, big epaulets and mirror sunglasses comes over, with two 16-18 yr olds itchily feeling their M-16 triggers (I was jealous, they were old-school 'Nam style hardware)...it was right out of a movie... Belize has a serious issue with Guatemala and there has been military conflict between the two countries before. I think the Guatemalans look the other way when people want to slip over and cause some chaos. Farther South it's way more laid back...fishing villages, etc... |
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Isnt that where john mcafee did his "last stand" lol Amazing that a man with such financial resources couldnt find a consultant that advised him better ( or maybe he did, but was just too hard headed). Such a stupid thing to do, end up in a country with some of the worst homicide and corruption rates in the entire planet. Again, just no, NO! 
FerFAL |
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I have a friend who retired there..
he's happy he's a fisherman and boating enthusiast and a SCUBA diver.. he's a shooter but not that "involved" he's done his time, established citizenship and just bought a SIG in 357 and a 20ga shotgun NO RIFLES allowed, seems you can easily shoot across country borders and they don't want war(or a citizenship capable of rising up) Want to change that, after a year you can run for office and have at it..elections are pretty easy to win..just promise them shit..like here. IF you've money, cash flow, able to be financially self sufficient(he has income from investments) you can do it.. housing seems to be comparable to what you'd find in Texas..price wise.. jobs in what you're use to earning here, not so much..import would be a good investment if you're able to bring in LOTS of stuff and can pay off government officials as need be...
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I have lived in Honduras and traveled Central and South America extensively. I have learned Spanish in my travels so the language is not a barrier. There is no where in Central America I would live right now. Costa Rica is close to livable, but it is no cheaper then living in the states.
I agree with the poster above. Find a state that is not as likely to take your freedoms. That is getting tougher all the time. |
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I have lived in Honduras and traveled Central and South America extensively. I have learned Spanish in my travels so the language is not a barrier. There is no where in Central America I would live right now. Costa Rica is close to livable, but it is no cheaper then living in the states. I agree with the poster above. Find a state that is not as likely to take your freedoms. That is getting tougher all the time. Miami or Houston are somewhat livable, for Latin America. |