By: Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize I Digital 2026

www.nationalpespectivebz.com

Belize City: Saturday 10th January 2026

From nationalization to consolidation—

Belize’s telecom future is being reshaped behind closed doors, and the people are none the wiser. What was once wrested from a foreign monopoly in the name of sovereignty is now quietly being absorbed again, this time by the government—without public consultation, without parliamentary debate, and possibly with the same faces still profiting.

Fifteen years ago, Belizeans were stirred by the dramatic nationalization of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), pried from the hands of the Ashcroft Alliance in a battle framed as the defence of sovereignty and national pride. At the time, the move came with promises of cheaper services, public ownership, and freedom from foreign control. But over a decade later, the cost of litigation and hefty settlement payments—exceeding half a billion dollars—has left the country deeply indebted, and the ordinary citizen, still burdened with high telecom costs.

Now, without public input or proper parliamentary scrutiny, the government is negotiating a stealthy takeover of Speednet (SMART), a company in which Lord Michael Ashcroft—through the Waterloo Charitable Trust—reportedly owns a controlling interest. If consummated, this deal would mean the Government of Belize, through BTL, would effectively control the very telecom competitor it once demonized, bringing the industry full circle into a new form of monopoly—this time with the government and its allies as the main beneficiaries.

But the questions remain sharp and unresolved: Who truly benefits from this absorption? How will it be financed? What’s the role of Prime Minister John Briceño’s family interests, particularly Centaur Cable and CBC, in this consolidation? And why is it being done in silence, as if the people of Belize have no stake in their nation’s telecom future?

This article seeks to unravel the tangled threads behind the looming telecom merger, spotlighting the old players in new positions of power, and why Belizeans should not stay silent while their digital destiny is rewritten in the shadows.

I. Introduction: The Secret That Almost Slipped Through

In a brazen maneuver cloaked behind boardroom walls and bureaucratic doublespeak, the Government of Belize is executing one of the most consequential corporate takeovers in modern history—and the people are not supposed to notice.

At the center of this deal is Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), the country’s largest state-owned telecom company, which is now in the process of acquiring its competitor Speednet Communications (SMART)—a company with historic and ongoing connections to British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft.

The transaction, worth upwards of $170 million Belize dollars, has raised red flags from across the political spectrum, from labor unions to private sector watchdogs and public interest advocates. Yet the Briceno administration remains silent, the BTL Chairman insists public input is irrelevant, and Ashcroft’s stake remains undisclosed in the official narrative.

II. The Ashcroft Web: From BTL to SMART, and Back Again

Before its 2009 nationalization, BTL was controlled by companies within the Ashcroft Alliance. Following a highly controversial and costly nationalization process by the Barrow administration, Belizeans paid over $500 million in compensation and legal fees to wrest back control.

But while Ashcroft lost BTL, he quietly tightened his grip on SMART—owning what multiple reports estimate to be at least 80% of the company through shell structures and corporate fronts like Waterloo Charitable Trust.

This means that Ashcroft controls Belize’s second-largest telecom, and now—under the guise of a government purchase—stands to profit handsomely yet again as BTL prepares to acquire Speednet/SMART using public funds.

III. The Boardroom Deal: Conflict, Secrecy, and Collusion

The process is being overseen by BTL Chairman Mark Lizarraga, whose brother is one of the three private owners of Speednet/SMART. Lizarraga has refused to recuse himself, dismissing conflict-of-interest concerns as trivial and insisting that "no public consultation is necessary" because BTL is “a private company.”

Yet, BTL is 63% owned by the Government of Belize, which means the people are the shareholders.

What’s more disturbing is that two BTL board members reportedly resigned in protest, objecting to the rushed, non-transparent manner in which the acquisition was being finalized.

The situation reeks of corporate self-dealing, with whispers of an inflated valuation by a firm close to the PUP's political inner circle. SMART’s valuation was once estimated at $15 million—yet suddenly ballooned to $50 million or more.

IV. What’s Being Bought, and Who Benefits

Under the proposed deal, BTL will acquire:

• Speednet/SMART (telecom provider)
• Southern Cable Network
• Centaur Cable (formerly aligned with the Briceno family)
• Coral Cable Vision

This consolidation would give BTL total control over:

• Mobile telecom
• Broadband and fiber
• Television distribution

In short: a government-backed monopoly in an industry where competition once lowered prices and improved service.

The implications are chilling:

• Media control over regional news channels and cable programming
• Price manipulation and higher costs for consumers
• No accountability, as government appointees control the entire ecosystem

V. Public Outcry Mounts — But Will It Be Ignored?

Civil society is fighting back.

The Belize Chamber of Commerce, Senators for the Unions and Churches, and the Telecommunications Workers Union have all spoken out, demanding transparency and halting the deal until the nation is consulted.

Even within Cabinet, cracks are forming—with ministers reportedly uneasy about the public backlash and the perception that this deal favors the same shadowy elite Belize fought to remove in 2009.

Yet, the Prime Minister continues to deny involvement, despite revelations that he met with the board to discuss the purchase and that key stakeholders in Speednet have ties to his extended family.

VI. Conclusion: Belize Stands at the Crossroads

This is not just a corporate merger.

This is a reversal of history.

A betrayal of the very principles that once justified nationalization.

If the deal proceeds, Belize will go from two major telecom providers to one state-engineered monopoly, whose board answers not to the public, but to the very political and financial interests that once held the country hostage.

The people of Belize are owed more than silence.

They are owed answers, consultation, and a stake in their future.

📣 Sidebar: Key Questions the BTL Board Must Answer

• Who exactly owns SMART today, and what % does Ashcroft control?
• Why were two board members forced to resign?
• What is the full purchase price and how will it be financed?
• Will this create a telecom monopoly?
• Why were Belizeans not consulted?

🔴 Final Call to Action:

Demand transparency. Demand consultation. Demand accountability.

The Telecom Coup must be stopped.