BELMOPAN, Belize, Jul 25, CMC – The Belize government says a Guatemalan gunboat had been escorted out of its territorial waters by the Belize Coast Guard after the occupants claimed that they had been lost and did not realise they had crossed in Belizean waters.
The incident is reported to have occurred earlier this week and Foreign Affairs Minister, Francis Fonseca, said the Belizean forces handled the situation calmly and professionally, and that diplomacy remains the first line of defense.
“The people of Belize, in perhaps the most democratic process we have available to us, our referendum made a decision several years ago to pursue a peaceful resolution in this differendum between Belize and Guatemala.
“So we’re pursuing that through that ICJ (International Court of Justice). The government of Belize has a duty and obligation while we pursue that peaceful resolution of this case to obviously protect the national sovereignty of the territory of Belize,” he said.
Fonseca said that the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast guard are out there everyday carrying out that duty honourably, faithfully and fearlessly.
He confirmed that the incident with the Guatemalan gun boat had occurred “a few days ago” and that the Coast guard responded to it immediately when there were notified about the presence of the vessel.
“They followed established protocol, they went up to the vessel, informed the crew on board who they were and they advise them that they were in Belize and waters. they had a discussion, a short exchange and the Coast guard then escorted the GAS vessel out of Belizean water. So that is what took place,” he said.
Belize and Guatemala have had a long running border dispute with Guatemala claiming in whole or in part, the territory of Belize. Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty in 1859 regarding the disputed area. The treaty stated that Guatemala would recognise British sovereignty over the region and formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize.
Meanwhile, Fonseca has confirmed a meeting in Washington with the Foreign Minister of Guatemala, Carlos Ramiro Martinez.
“That was a bilateral meeting. We discussed the ICJ process and the challenges we continue to face on the border in the Sarstoon and discuss generally Belize Guatemala relations in terms of trade, investment, other opportunities. I think that was a very productive meeting,” Fonseca said.
He said that there was also a wider meeting between Belize and Guatemala under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS).
“ We had a meeting with the group of friends, where Belize and Guatemala made statements to our group of friends and we heard from them about their continued support for the process, the ICJ process so that was very good.
“All our group of friends were there and they reaffirmed their commitment to Belize and Guatemala though this process as along as it takes and supporting the work of the OAS. Had a very good meeting with the new secretary general of the OAS. We discussed the continued work of the OAS in the adjacency zone. We also discussed regional and hemispheric issues including the situation in Haiti. We talked about reform at the OAS and many different issued. That was very good meeting, I think,” Fonseca added.
CMC/ag/ir/2025