The Political Economy Crisis of Garifuna Rights in Neoliberal Belize

Abstract

This article examines the political economy crisis of Garifuna rights in neoliberal Belize. It argues that globalisation functions as retooled colonialism, commodifying Garifuna culture while denying communal land tenure. Based on archival records, legal documents, and five community interviews, the paper traces the lineage of Garifuna dispossession from their 1797 exile to post-independence Belize. It finds that neoliberal policies of privatisation and tourism have produced “displacement in place”, stripping communities of economic autonomy without physical removal. While Belizean courts have upheld Maya customary tenure, Garifuna claims remain excluded, revealing selective recognition of indigeneity. This omission breaches Belize’s constitutional commitments and international human rights standards. The article contributes by outlining reparative futures rooted in Garifuna epistemologies, including community-based tourism, Afro-Indigenous trade networks, and the extension of communal tenure protections. It highlights the paradox of a culture celebrated as national heritage yet denied its material foundation in land and autonomy.