1 week ago
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The Government of Belize has formally lodged its strongest diplomatic protest with Guatemala following last week’s confrontation in the Sarstoon, where a large deployment of Guatemalan vessels prevented Belizean civilians from completing their customary passage around Sarstoon Island. The incident occurred on September 10, when members of the Belize Territorial Volunteers, accompanied by the Belize Defence Force and Belize Coast Guard, travelled from Punta Gorda for their annual journey around the island. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 18 Guatemalan military and civilian vessels were deployed near the island and obstructed the Belizean group. On Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca announced the Government’s intention to issue a formal diplomatic note protesting Guatemala’s actions. Fonseca also stressed that, despite the serious incident, communication between both countries continues as Belize seeks a peaceful and diplomatic resolution.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs: “The good news is that at the end of the day, nobody was hurt. There were no incidents. But yes there was a heavy, heavy presence of Guatemalan military boats and some civilian boats in the Sarstoon. It’s important that the record reflect that we condemn these acts of aggression. So yes, the Belize government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, every time we have one of these incidents, we record it and we send an official diplomatic note recording our absolute objection to the behavior of the GAF and our condemnation of their exercise of illegal authority over the Sarstoon. But we not only do that, we have meetings and we speak to them at my level. The Prime Minister speaks to the president of Guatemala. So it’s not just a note. It’s also engagement to try to ensure that we can have some constructive dialogue and avoid any incidents like this in the future. But as I keep saying, the reality is that we will continue to have this issue until we have a final judgment from the court.”
The formal Note Verbale has since been delivered to Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Government described the deployment as disproportionate and maintained that it violated Belize’s sovereignty while obstructing the lawful passage of unarmed Belizeans. It also called the inclusion of Guatemalan civilians alongside military vessels an unwelcome escalation in an already sensitive area. Belize maintains that the Sarstoon River forms part of the international boundary established by the 1859 Boundary Treaty, with the dividing line running along the river’s mid-channel. The Government reiterated that Sarstoon Island is within Belizean territory and that the river’s channels must remain free and open to vessels from both countries.
The Organization of American States and Belize’s international partners are also being notified. Prime Minister John Briceño is also expected to seek a bilateral meeting with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, Belize’s agent in the territorial case before the International Court of Justice has been instructed to consult the country’s international legal team to ensure that the September 10 incident and any similar actions are brought to the court’s attention. The Government has commended the BDF and Coast Guard for their professionalism and restraint, saying their conduct helped prevent the tense encounter from escalating.
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