Belize Territorial Volunteers make annual Sarstoon Island visit, bumped by Guatemalan Armed Forces

Published by BBNTEAM at August 31, 2024

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Posted: Saturday, August 31, 2024. 8:38 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) announced on Friday that today, Saturday, they would continue “our decade-long tradition of visiting the Sarstoon Island on August 31. This annual event, coinciding with our Independence celebrations, demonstrates our commitment to affirming that the Sarstoon Island is a vital part of Belize’s heritage and territorial integrity.”

That visit proceeded without initial incident as the boat circled the island, but as the group departed the area, they ran into a Guatemalan Armed Forces gunboat that bumped them several times, with hard talk exchanged in Spanish.

According to the BTV’s Wil Maheia, the confrontation happened “within Belize waters, [a] few hundred yards from the Belize Defence Force’s Forward Operating Base (FOB), just north of the BDF base.” The Guatemalan military personnel can also be heard threatening to shoot out the boat engine.

The incident comes days after Prime Minister John Briceño visited Guatemala officially and held talks with President Bernardo Arevalo on, among other things, the situation at the southern border.

The BTV’s Friday statement said, “Our border, from the Rio Hondo to the Sarstoon, stands as a testament to our nation’s unity and sovereignty.”

The BTV also said they would host a special luncheon with the dedicated soldiers at the FOB, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their steadfast efforts in safeguarding our borders.

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