Belize Territorial Volunteers Wil Maheia says “Silence is deafening” following remarks by Guatemalan Armed Forces

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: Every year on April 30, Belize marks the anniversary of the 1859 Border Treaty signed by Great Britain and Guatemala.

Article one of the treaty defined the boundaries of Guatemala and British Honduras now Belize.

The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) has marked the anniversary celebrating Belize’s sovereignty with trips to the Sarstoon.

Several of those trips have been intercepted by Guatemalan Armed Forces.

The BTV’s Wil Maheia today called out the Government of Belize for remaining silent after the Guatemalan Armed Forces hosted a press conference.

During that conference on Monday, the Guatemalan authorities claimed that they intercepted a boat of BDF soldiers who informed that they were escorting a tour with journalists and said they were in Belizean territory.

However, the Guatemalan officials say that they proceeded with the established protocol of the Sarstoon River and informed the Belizeans that they were in Guatemalan waters without authorization.

“They were made to understand that they were in Guatemalan waters without authorization, they were invited to leave Guatemalan waters and they were escorted to their starting point,” explained Colonel Rubén Téllez, spokesman for the Guatemalan Army.

Maheia said that the Guatemalans are lying to the world saying that the entire Sarstoon belongs to them.

“Today, April 30th marks 165 years since our Belize border was established. Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty in 1859 regarding the disputed area. The treaty stated that Guatemala would recognise British sovereignty over the region and formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. This border was recognized by almost all UN members when Belize got its independence,” Maheia said.

“So today I find it difficult when we have these Guatemalan bullies lie to the world and say the entire Sarstoon river is theirs and our government sit aside with nothing to say! The silence is deafening!,” Maheia added.

Тhе Ѕаrѕtооn hаѕ lоng bееn аn аrеа оf соntеntіоn bеtwееn thе twо соuntrіеѕ wіth соntіnuоuѕ rероrtѕ оf Веlіzеаnѕ bеіng blосkеd tо vіѕіt thе іѕlаnd аnd іntеrсерtеd bу Guаtеmаlаn Міlіtаrу Fоrсеѕ.

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