By Belize Live News Staff: The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) carried out their annual visit to the Sarstoon Island on Saturday, August 31st, coinciding with Belize’s Independence celebrations. However, the patriotic act was marred by a confrontation with the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF).
While the BTV’s initial visit to the island proceeded without incident, their departure was met with aggression from a GAF gunboat. According to BTV’s Wil Maheia, the Guatemalan vessel repeatedly bumped their boat within Belizean waters, just a few hundred yards from the Belize Defence Force’s Forward Operating Base. Disturbingly, threats to disable the BTV’s boat engine were also heard from the Guatemalan military personnel.
This incident comes on the heels of Prime Minister John Briceño’s recent official visit to Guatemala, where talks with President Bernardo Arévalo included discussions on the southern border situation. The BTV’s statement emphasized the importance of Belize’s borders, from the Rio Hondo to the Sarstoon, as a symbol of the nation’s unity and sovereignty.
Despite the confrontation, the BTV expressed their gratitude to the soldiers stationed at the Forward Operating Base for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding Belize’s borders.
