Belize Files Latest ICJ Arguments in Sapodilla Cayes Case

Belize has filed its latest written arguments with the International Court of Justice in the dispute over the Sapodilla Cayes. The September 21 submission responds to a statement from Guatemala, which the Court has allowed to intervene in the case between Belize and Honduras. 

Belize took the dispute to the ICJ in November 2022, asking the Court to decide who has sovereignty over the cayes. Belize maintains that the islands have been part of its territory since the days of British Honduras. Honduras also claims them. Guatemala says a ruling could affect its own legal interests, but its intervention does not make it a full party to this case. Speaking to Love News on December 19, 2022, shortly after Belize filed the case, Prime Minister John Briceño said he was confident in Belize’s position. Here is part of that interview. 

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “We all know that Honduras have zero chances of winning the Sapodilla Cayes. They change their constitution when they heard that we’re going to get independent to be able to include the Sapodilla cayes. There are records over decades that whenever they want to have access to the Sapodilla keys, they would write the British asking them permission. So in effect you are accepting that the British had ownership of these lands. When they want to use them, they would write to the Government of Belize if they could have access. So they have admitted that they have. Now that we are settling at the ICJ with Guatemala and it was brought to attention now that Honduras wants to do something about that then we had to take proactive measures, proactive action to ensure that we could try to see how we could address that matter also almost in conjunction with the case against Guatemala.” 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Belize’s latest filing includes its written observations and a separate volume of supporting documents. Honduras submitted its response to Guatemala on the same day. Mariana Verde, of the Office of Belize’s Agent to the ICJ, represented Belize at the filing alongside legal team member Catherine Drummond.