By Belize Live News Staff: BELMOPAN, Belize, September 15, 2026: Prime Minister John Briceño used his State of the Nation Address to deliver one of his strongest statements yet on the Sarstoon, declaring that Belize will not be intimidated and will continue defending its sovereignty through the rule of law.
Briceño referred to the September 10 confrontation in which a Belizean delegation was unable to complete its intended passage around Sarstoon Island amid the presence of Guatemalan vessels.
He said 53 Belizeans stood on the Sarstoon River that day and did not turn back in spirit despite the confrontation.
“We are a small nation, but we will not submit,” the Prime Minister said.
Briceño maintained that Sarstoon Island is Belizean territory and that the mid-channel of the river has marked the boundary since the 1859 treaty.
He said Belize remains committed to resolving Guatemala’s territorial claim through the International Court of Justice and will not abandon that legal path because of provocation.
The Prime Minister also praised the Belize Defence Force and Belize Coast Guard for remaining calm and professional during the encounter.
He ended the section with a firm declaration: “Sarstoon is Belizean. Belize is whole.”
