In Brief
- Belize will lodge a formal protest with Guatemala and report an incident to the Organization of American States (OAS) after two Guatemalan military vessels entered Belizean waters over the weekend.
- Belmopan said the Guatemalan Armed Forces ‘aggressively’ approached a routine Belize Defence Force (BDF) patrol near Sarstoon Island in an apparent attempt at intimidation.
- The Sarstoon Forward Operating Base has since been reinforced, with Belize reminding Guatemala not to aggravate their long-standing border dispute ahead of International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings in early 2027.
BELMOPAN, Belize, (CMC) – Belize says it will lodge a formal protest with the Government of Guatemala after a Belize Defence Force (BDF) unit conducting a routine patrol around Sarstoon Island was “aggressively” approached by two Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) vessels over the weekend.
In a statement, Belmopan said that the GAF “crossed into Belizean waters, in an evident attempt at intimidation,” and that the BDF patrol “acted with professionalism and restraint and returned safely to the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base after concluding its patrol.”
The government added that the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base has since been reinforced by additional BDF and Belize Coast Guard vessels.
“The Government of Belize strongly condemns these acts of aggression and the incursion into Belizean waters. Under the 1859 Treaty, the boundary is the mid-channel of the Sarstoon River, and Sarstoon Island lies within Belize’s sovereign territory. With Guatemala’s claim pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), both countries are obliged to refrain from any action that may aggravate the dispute,” the statement said.
It added that “Belize will lodge a formal protest with the Government of Guatemala and report the incident to the Organization of American States (OAS).”
The statement also commended the BDF “for its discipline and composure,” and called on Guatemala “to respect Belize’s sovereignty and refrain from further provocation.”
“Belize remains committed to the peaceful resolution of the dispute,” the statement noted.
The territorial and border dispute between Guatemala and Belize stems from 19th-century colonial treaties and is currently before the ICJ for a final, binding ruling. Oral presentations and hearings at The Hague are scheduled for early 2027 to address the sovereignty claims.
The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping, of which Belize is a member, has in the past called on Guatemala to ensure that its military forces desist from illegally entering Belizean territory and from taking aggressive actions that could raise tensions between the two countries, escalate into a military conflict, and endanger the safety of people who use the Sarstoon River.
