PM Commends BDF After Sarstoon River Standoff

Prime Minister John Briceño has commended the Belize Defence Force (BDF) for their bravery and composure during Friday afternoon’s encounter with the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) at the Sarstoon River. The incident was described as a tense but professionally managed situation.  According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, a BDF patrol encountered a GAF patrol that had reportedly crossed the median line of the Sarstoon River into Belizean waters. The situation, which could have escalated, was handled with a high degree of calm and respect by the BDF soldiers.  Prime Minister Briceño praised the BDF for their adherence to protocol and their firm but non-confrontational approach, which prevented a potential flashpoint. 

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well I think it’s first important for us as Belizeans to recognize the bravery of our BDF soldiers. You know they were surrounded by Guatemalans. I think there were as much as seven boats and their gunboat was probably a mile away. I want to commend them for the bravery that they’ve demonstrated and their cool under pressure because this could have gone quickly out of control. But they stood their ground and to make the point that they are in Belizean territory and that that flag had to come down. During that time our minister got in touch with the Minister of Defense from Guatemala and Minister Fonseca with the Foreign Minister from Guatemala. So immediately started to work the diplomatic channels and because of that immediate work that we did then that Guatemalans brought down the flag and then moved out from within our Belizean territory. We’ve always said that the Sarstoon the river is the line, the medium line going north is Belizean territory and going south belongs to Guatemala and that that remains. We followed the standard procedure. Minister Fonseca through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written a strong letter of protest to the OAS and also to well of course to Guatemala and started informing all the friends of Belize, Canada, Mexico, the UK and so forth to inform them of that incident. I expect to be at the UN, I leave Belize on the 22nd so during that time I am expecting to meet with President Arévalo to discuss this situation. President Arévalo has demonstrated great support for Belize and wanting to create closer ties and relationships between both countries but obviously there seem to be elements within the military that are still classified as old guard and wanting to demonstrate every so often their stance when it comes to the Belize issue. But that’s an issue that is dying and the old guard most of them are very old and basically dying and the younger generations are the ones that are pretty much recognize that Belize is a free and independent nation recognize that and we believe that in time that will work its way out and also the same time at the ICJ we still have every confidence that we will win that case and then that will help us to be able to start to work in clearing the boundaries, the land boundaries and also the maritime boundaries will also be delineated so that everybody knows what side is Belize and what side is Guatemala.”