By Zoila Palma: Today, Prime Minister John Briceño informed the United Nations General Assembly of a “serious breach of international law” after a Guatemalan military aircraft entered Belize’s sovereign airspace on September 24, 2026.
In his address, Briceño said the aircraft intentionally disabled its transponder and argued that the incident violated international aviation and sovereignty principles.
“Belize has chosen, and will always choose, law over force,” Briceño told the Assembly. He said the alleged incursion violated the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, customary norms governing state aircraft and the principle of territorial sovereignty protected under the United Nations Charter.
Briceño also told the UN that the aircraft incident was “not an isolated event,” and said it was a continuing pattern involving Guatemalan state vessels and personnel operating in Belizean territorial waters of the Sarstoon River.
He noted that the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala is currently before the International Court of Justice, with hearings scheduled for February 2027.
Briceño called on Guatemala to immediately cease incursions by air, land and sea and to comply with its obligations under the UN Charter, the Chicago Convention and the OAS Confidence-Building Measures. The OAS maintains a mission in the Belize-Guatemala process that conducts incident verification and supports confidence-building and peaceful settlement efforts.
The PM also requested heightened monitoring by both the United Nations and the Organization of American States, saying this was necessary “to ensure that no Member State uses military force or intimidation to influence judicial proceedings.”
The post PM Briceño calls for heightened United Nations and OAS monitoring following Guatemalan military aircraft incursion appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Today, Prime Minister John Briceño informed the United Nations General Assembly of a “serious breach of international law” after a Guatemalan military aircraft entered Belize’s sovereign airspace on September 24, 2026. In his address, Briceño said the aircraft intentionally disabled its transponder and argued that the incident violated international aviation and sovereignty
The post PM Briceño calls for heightened United Nations and OAS monitoring following Guatemalan military aircraft incursion appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
