Belizeans Outnumbered but Unmoved on the Sarstoon

A civilian journey along the Sarstoon River quickly became another tense test of Belizean resolve. More than a dozen Guatemalan vessels reportedly confronted members of the Belize Territorial Volunteers during their recent excursion, but the group refused to retreat. Prime Minister John Briceño revisited that encounter in his address today, thanking the Belizeans who stood their ground despite what he described as intimidation. He also praised the men and women of Belize’s armed forces who remain on the front lines, protecting the country’s borders and defending its territorial integrity.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“On the 10th of September, fifty-three Belizeans stood on the Sarstoon River,  waters that are ours by treaty, by law, and by right, and they did not flinch. Twelve vessels could not make them turn back or break their spirit, even when they could not complete their passage. That is who we are. We are a small nation, but we will not submit. Sarstoon Island is Belizean soil. The mid-channel of that river has marked our border since 1859, and no show of force will rewrite what law and history have already settled. We placed our trust in the International Court of Justice because we are a country that believes in the rule of law, and we will not be provoked into abandoning that path. But let no one mistake our patience for weakness. To the men and women of the Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard who stood calm and steady that day, you did not just defend a boundary. You defended who we are as a people. Belize will always stand behind you, as you stand for Belize. Sarstoon is Belizean. Belize is whole.”

 

Belize has now taken its concerns over the September tenth Sarstoon incident directly to Guatemala, issuing a formal diplomatic protest.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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