 conducted activities in the Sarstoon River.){kind=link}
The Government of Belize (GOB) lodged a formal diplomatic protest after the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) conducted activities in the Sarstoon River on September 10th. Approximately 18 military and civilian vessels were reportedly present within Belizean waters. GOB condemned the actions but acknowledged that such incidents may continue until the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules on the territorial, insular, and maritime dispute between Belize and Guatemala.
In a diplomatic note dated September 14th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Guatemalan vessels were operating within Belizean waters near Sarstoon Island. The ministry emphasized that the Sarstoon River, located at the southernmost point of the country, forms part of the international boundary between Belize and Guatemala under the 1859 Boundary Treaty signed by Great Britain and Guatemala.
According to the treaty, the boundary follows the river’s mid-channel, while Sarstoon Island lies within Belizean sovereign territory. The agreement also provides for the river’s channels to remain equally open to vessels from both countries.
Guatemala declared the treaty null and void in 1946, claiming that the British had breached the agreement. Successive Guatemalan governments have maintained the country’s territorial claim against Belize. Since March 2016, the GAF has asserted control over the entire Sarstoon River, leading to several confrontations involving the Belize Defense Force (BDF) and Belizean civilian groups, including the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV).
The September 10th incident occurred on St. George’s Caye Day, when the BTV planned to conduct its annual journey around Sarstoon Island. The group departed Punta Gorda Town under escort from the BDF and the Belize Coast Guard but reportedly could not approach the island because several Guatemalan vessels were present.
Some of the GAF vessels reportedly came within feet of the BDF Forward Operating Base along the riverbank. GOB maintained that the vessels were within Belizean waters, describing their presence as a violation of the country’s sovereignty. It also stated that obstructing the lawful passage of unarmed Belizean nationals was inconsistent with Guatemala’s obligations.
“Furthermore, the presence of Guatemalan civilians within the military deployment represents an unwelcome escalation in an already sensitive border area,” GOB stated in its official note.
The Guatemalan Government has maintained that its armed forces are in the area to patrol what it considers Guatemalan waters.
Despite the incident, GOB said it remains fully committed to resolving the underlying dispute through the ICJ. Minister of Foreign Affairs Honorable Francis Fonseca said Belizeans may continue to encounter the GAF until the court delivers its final judgment. “We continue to pursue, as you know, a peaceful resolution of the unfounded claim. That is why we have always insisted on a path to peace,” Fonseca said. “The issues will not be resolved until we have a final judgment from the court.”
Fonseca added that discussions with Guatemala continue regarding the best approach to managing matters in the Sarstoon River.
Belize will register the latest incident with its international partners and the Organization of American States. GOB will also seek a direct explanation from Guatemala’s Ambassador to Belize regarding what it described as aggressive conduct by the Guatemalan military.
The government is also pursuing a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister John Briceño and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level sessions, scheduled for September 22nd through the 26th in New York City, United States.