Posted: Friday, September 19, 2025. 9:54 am CST.
By Zoila Palma: Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement alleging that the Belize Defence Force (BDF) entered their territory following numerous confrontations at the Sarstoon recently.
This follows a formal protest by Belize due to an incident on September 10 when members of the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) illegally hoisted a Guatemalan flag on the Island.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca said that Guatemala’s release is “very disappointing.”
“Very disappointing, we responded as you know to that release with our own release in which we categorically rejected their statements, distortions in the face of clear video evidence to the contrary. So it’s very disappointing but as I mentioned in this dialogue we can today, we have to be smart and we have to be strategic. We don’t want to play into the hands of the hardliners and the old guard in Guatemala who are not only seeking to undermine any progress between Belize and Guatemala, they’re seeking to undermine their own government,” Fonseca told 7News Belize.
Minister Fonseca says that Belize must defend our position very firmly and consistently and strongly but not get caught up in their internal politics.
In addition, Minister Fonseca says there have been meetings with Guatemalan counterparts.
Minister Fonseca says that Belize will continue to ensure “presence along the borders and the Sarstoon River maintain or a strong position in terms of our territorial integrity, as I keep saying, and national sovereignty and make sure very importantly, as you saw, our diplomacy works, we engaged very immediately and quickly with Caricom, with Commonwealth, with other organizations who came out in very, very strong terms to defend Belize’s position, and to condemn Guatemala’s actions.”
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The post Foreign Minister Fonseca calls Guatemala’s press release “Disappointing” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, September 19, 2025. 9:54 am CST. By Zoila Palma: Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement alleging that the Belize Defence Force (BDF)
The post Foreign Minister Fonseca calls Guatemala’s press release “Disappointing” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
