New Belize-Mexico bridge across the Rio Hondo.
Belizeans, Mexicans and tourists have a new bridge over which to travel into and out of Belize via Mexico. The Mexico’s army has been pressed into service to build 800 meters of highway on the Belize side of the new Belize-Mexico bridge that crosses the Rio Hondo at Subteniento Lopez (Mexico) and Santa Elena (Belize). The bridge was donated and constructed by Mexico and completed in 2008. Since then it has languished with Belize claiming it had no money to build the access road on their side. Shortly before leaving office, President Felipe Calderon requested permission from the Senate to have the Mexican army cross into Belize to build the road.
The Senate this week authorized the federal executive to the Mexican army to leave national territory to cooperate with the authorities of Belize in the construction of a road section on the bi-national border bridge.
A release from NOTIMEX says that during its regular session on Thursday, approval was given to the application that allows a Colonel, a captain, a lieutenant and eight elements of the General direction of engineers of the Mexican army troops to take part in the road works. The application was adopted with 92 votes in favor.
This is the second border crossing spanning the Rio Hondo and is aimed at easing the severe traffic congestion in the area.
The Rio Hondo river is about 94 miles in length (150 km) and flows in a northeasterly direction to discharge into Chetumal Bay on the Caribbean Sea. Most of the international border between the Mexico and Belize runs along its length. The Rio Hondo forms from the confluences of upstream tributaries, such as the Río Azul that becomes Blue Creek in Belize, and Chanchich (Rio Bravo), Both rivers originate in neighboring Guatemala’s Petén Basin region. These tributaries join to form the Rio Hondo near the settlement of the Mennonite settlement of Blue Creek Village, on the Belizean side, and La Unión on the Mexican side.
The Rio Hondo makes an appearance in Belize’s national anthem, Land of the Free, along with the Sartsoon that is the river on the Belize-Guatemala border in the south.
…
Our fathers, the Baymen, valiant and bold
Drove back the invader; this heritage hold
From proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon,
Through coral isle, over blue lagoon;