By Zoila Palma: The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) is pushing back against recent statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging Belizeans to exercise caution when travelling to the Sarstoon area.
The BTV said it is “deeply disappointed and concerned” that the government is discouraging citizens from participating in border expeditions and portraying visits to Belize’s southern border as unsafe.
The BTV said its annual Sarstoon expeditions have been conducted peacefully for more than 15 years as part of its efforts to assert Belize’s sovereignty and commemorate the 1859 Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty.
“Not a single participant has ever been injured or placed in harm’s way,” the BTV explained while also maintaining that its expeditions have “consistently remained within Belizean territory and have never crossed into Guatemalan waters.”
BTV leader Wil Maheia accused the government of attempting to discourage patriotic activity during the September Celebrations.
“The government’s attempt to discourage Belizeans from standing on their own soil during Independence Month is unacceptable,” Maheia said. He added, “If there is a legitimate security threat or diplomatic shift taking place, the government must come clean and be fully transparent with the Belizean public.”
The BTV said it intends to proceed with its annual Sarstoon River trip on September 10, 2026, and emphasized that the expedition is not intended to provoke confrontation with Guatemala.
“Attempting to instill fear to suppress peaceful national pride is not the answer,” Maheia said.
BTV stated that this year’s expedition will include representatives from five countries and formally notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and the Organization of American States of the planned date.
The BTV concluded that “our intention is not confrontation but simply to uphold a longstanding Belizean tradition and our right as citizens to access and visit our country’s territory.”
The post Belize Territorial Volunteers: “We urge government to support national pride and fulfill its duty to safeguard Belizeans within national borders” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) is pushing back against recent statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging Belizeans to exercise caution when travelling to the Sarstoon area. The BTV said it is “deeply disappointed and concerned” that the government is discouraging citizens from participating in border expeditions and portraying visits to
The post Belize Territorial Volunteers: “We urge government to support national pride and fulfill its duty to safeguard Belizeans within national borders” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.