By Belize Live News Staff: Belize and Honduras have both submitted new written observations to the International Court of Justice as Guatemala formally participates in the long running legal dispute over the Sapodilla Cayes.
Belize announced that its written observations on Guatemala’s written statement were filed with the Court on September 21.
The Belize submission contains two volumes, one setting out the country’s legal observations and another containing supporting annexes.
Honduras submitted its own observations on Guatemala’s statement on the same day.
The underlying case began in November 2022, when Belize asked the ICJ to resolve its sovereignty dispute with Honduras over the Sapodilla Cayes.
Belize describes the cayes as lying in the Gulf of Honduras at the southern tip of the Belize Barrier Reef.
In its original application, Belize pointed to historical and legal arguments which it says establish Belizean sovereignty over the islands. It also cited acts of administration and control exercised by Belize since Independence in 1981.
Honduras has historically maintained a competing claim to the cayes, while Guatemala’s participation introduces another legal dimension to the proceedings.
The September 21 filings do not represent a final ruling. They form part of the written phase of the case as the Court continues considering the competing legal arguments.
