Guatemalan Flag Raised on Sarstoon During Belize’s National Day

While Belizeans across the country were waving flags and celebrating the Battle of St. George’s Caye on September Tenth, a bold and controversial move was unfolding down south. A contingent from the Guatemalan Armed Forces made its way to Sarstoon Island and planted a Guatemalan flag on Belizean soil. This wasn’t a symbolic gesture. It’s a direct challenge in an area that has long been at the heart of the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala. That dispute is currently before the International Court of Justice, and Belize maintains that Sarstoon Island is firmly part of its sovereign territory. News Five spoke by phone with Wil Maheia, founder of the Belize Territorial Volunteers, who has long been vocal about incursions in the south. He shared his concerns about the timing and the message this act sends, not just to Belizeans, but to the international community.

 

On the phone: Wil Maheia, Founder, Belize Territorial Volunteers

“I believe, earlier this week, the [Belize] Territorial Volunteers had put out a statement that we are going to the Sarstoon on the thirteenth. So it has been out there, it’s been on social media and everything, I believe that they just wanted to flex their muscles, thinking that it was yesterday we were going because every year we go around the tenth. In fact, our first trip to Sarstoon Island was on the tenth of September which was like more than fifteen years ago. So around this time, the GAF definitely stepped up their game. They bring in extra boats and extra men for the river. We are very disappointed and I hope that our government are really on top of their game, in terms of protesting this incident. They came into our territory and they just place their flag on the island. I mean, that is totally unacceptable. We cannot accept that and I just want the nation to know that this weekend, our trip will not be postponed. We are going, as planned, on the thirteenth. It’s a very serious incident. You know, I mean, they came clearly into Belizean territory to put a flag there. That’s something very, very serious. They have never done that before, they always come around the island, but, they have never placed their flag there before. So this is where they are stepping up their game. And you know, as we were told, they said that they were taking instructions. So I believe that the right thing to do is instruct the BDF to go out there and remove the flag.”

 

Earlier today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that read, “high level discussions between senior officials of Belize and Guatemala were immediately undertaken wherein Belize expressed its strong objection to the recent placement of a Guatemala flag on Sarstoon Island, which lies well within Belize’s sovereign borders. Belize also expressed concern about the presence and conduct of Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) personnel who supported this illegal action. Guatemalan officials subsequently confirmed that the Guatemalan flag was removed”.