Belize Condemns Statements Made by Guatemalan President Calling Belize Aggressors

As the OAS seeks peace talks, Guatemala’s President, Bernardo Arevalo, has told his citizens this week, that Belize are the aggressors at the Sarstoon.  It is a statement that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned, and one that Minister Francis Fonseca says is nothing short of disappointing.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Yeah, as I said very very disappointing very disappointing. We’ve had very good discussions as I said very positive productive talks between myself the foreign minister. Our national security ministers met with theirs so you know it’s sometimes very confusing to understand where they stand and what is happening? But as I said we appreciate that there are many other factors at play within Guatemala and we have to be cognizant of that and appreciate that as we move forward and make our decisions. We responded as you know to that release with our own release in which we categorically rejected their statements, distortions in the face of clear video evidence to the contrary by the way. So it’s very disappointing but as I mentioned in this dialogue we had today we have to be smart right ? We have to be smart and we have to be strategic. We don’t want to play into the hands of the hardliners and the old guard in Guatemala who are not only seeking to undermine any progress between Belize and Guatemala. They’re seeking to undermine their own government. We, Belize has we have to be strategic and smart that we don’t that we don’t play into that. We have to defend our position very firmly and consistently and strongly but not get caught up in their internal politics and of course as I mentioned we all know the long history of military rule in Guatemala and so the military whether we like it or not continues to play a prominent role in the governance structure of Guatemala and we have to be cognizant of that we have to understand that and we have to make sure that when we are responding and making decisions that we recognize that. It’s an, I think the Belizean people, you know have a very good understanding of the dynamics that exist between Belize and Guatemala. They appreciate that, you know, it’s a complex issue and that while we are pursuing a legal peaceful resolution of this matter that we continue to deal with very very delicate challenges on the ground. But I think what is important is that the Belizean people have given us a mandate for a peaceful resolution of this matter and as a government we have to follow that mandate. So, you know diplomacy is very very important. Diplomacy is very important. We maintain a very firm position in terms of our territorial integrity, our national sovereignty but we understand the need for us to engage with Guatemala to make sure that we can reduce tensions and ensure that moving forward we can have a peaceful coexistence.”