GUATEMALA CITY ( Government Slams Construction Firm for Destroying Ancient Mayan Pyramid )

Belizean Government Slams Construction Firm for Destroying Ancient Mayan Pyramid

GUATEMALA CITY – The destruction of a 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid by a company constructing a highway near the Nohmul archaeological site in northern Belize is “unforgivable,” the government said.

The company moved bulldozers and backhoes through the Nohmul complex, practically wiping out one of the largest Mayan pyramids in the Central American country.

The destruction of the Nohmul archaeological site showed “total disregard for the cultural heritage” of Belize and was “cruel, ignorant and unforgivable,” the Tourism and Culture Ministry said in a statement released in Belmopan.

Media reports revealed the ancient pyramid’s destruction on Monday, but the private company involved in the incident has not commented.

Photos published in the press showed construction workers removing rocks and stones from the site for use in building the highway.

The construction company has a contract from the Belizean government to build a highway in Orange Walk district.

The Nohmul pyramid, which was constructed by the Mayans during the Pre-Classical Period, is near the border with Mexico and part of the Yucatan archaeological zone. EFE