Will the ICJ Confirm Belize’s Sovereignty Over the Sapodilla Cayes?

Belize is fighting to be recognised as the rightful owner of the Sapodilla Cayes, but now Guatemala wants a say in the case. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hold public hearings on Guatemala’s request to intervene from Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th November 2025 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.

Belize first brought the case against Honduras three years ago, asking the ICJ “to adjudge and declare that, as between Belize and Honduras, Belize is sovereign over the Sapodilla Cayes.” These islands sit at the southern tip of the Belize Barrier Reef in the Gulf of Honduras.

Guatemala filed its application last year and argued that the case overlaps with its territorial claim over Belize, also pending before the court. In its submission, Guatemala said it has “a clear interest of a legal nature… since it has a longstanding claim of sovereignty over the Sapodillas, which is part of the subject-matter of the pending Guatemala/Belize case,” and warned that the outcome may affect its claims.

The hearings will feature three rounds of oral arguments. Guatemala presents its case on Monday and Wednesday, while Belize and Honduras respond on Tuesday and Wednesday.