PM Briceno speaks on GAF ship found in Belize’s waters

Prime Minister John Briceno says the government is taking firm but diplomatic steps to address the recent illegal incursion by a Guatemalan naval ship into Belize’s waters. Yesterday, the ship illegally entered the country’s waters around 8:30 a.m. and was spotted by a Belize Coast Guard patrol stationed at Hunting Caye. The patrol quickly moved to the area and addressed persons onboard the Guatemalan navy ship, approximately 65 feet in length. However, contrary to the report, the vessel was not grounded and there was only little pushback from the Guatemalan military. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since condemned the act and called on Guatemalan authorities to dissuade their armed forces from traversing into Belizean waters. Nonetheless, many in the public believe that the government’s response to such incursion is too passive. Today, PM Briceno spoke on the incursion and responded to the criticism saying that the government must not act out of haste. 

John Briceño, Prime Minister: “We take any incident serious. Anytime the GAF would enter or the Guatemalan armed forces would enter our borders sometimes they do it innocently. They don’t realize it. Other times they do. But whenever that happens, we take it seriously. And we would go and confront them and inform them that they’re in Belizean waters. Most instances they would leave without any incidents. Sometimes they would argue, but they leave. And that’s important for us, to be able for them to understand that we are monitoring them, we are watching what they’re doing, and also at the same time, I think pretty much in every instance we write to the OAS and write to a copy to them, to the Guatemalan government, to point out that they have once again been infringing in our territory. What do they expect us to do? Shoot them out of the water? I mean, there are 15, 20,000 of them fully equipped. Obviously we need to be able to be firm but diplomatic, ensuring that making sure that they understand that they’re in our waters and that we will not allow them to come into the water, into our waters, and then use our diplomatic channels. And as much as we want to do more, what else can we do? And whatever citizen would say that, then I want to hear advice. What would they do?”

Guatemalan soldiers onboard the vessel claimed to have not known they were in Belizean waters.