On Friday we showed the last of the pre-election rush of naturalizations - as just fewer than 300 new Belizeans were sworn in. As we showed you, it wasn't an exactly inspiring event - since most of the new citizens didn't know English well enough to sing the anthem or recite the oath of allegiance.
WE don't have the official figures, but we'd say that most of the new Belizeans we've met over the past week have been Guatemalan. They must renounce their citizenship before becoming Belizeans, but we wondered: how real is that renunciation? So we asked a pair of them about the Belize Guatemala differendum - and how they would vote in a referendum to go or not to go to the ICJ.
Here's what they had to say:..
Francisco Cuc, Resident in Belize For 31 Years - Guatemala
"For me I was thinking about this from last month because I heard the ex-president of Guatemala saying that the difference we have between Belize and Guatemala is so complicated. But for us, who were born there in Guatemala, let's say they took it to the international courts and they decided that Belize should be for Guatemala, for me it is not a better place to go back to live because it is over populated and there is no land for us. There are more killings going on over there. For me, I don't mind going to the international courts to say that Belize should be on its own and not for Guatemala - never ever. To be honest and truthful I would vote for Belize because I would say right now that maybe 30% of Guatemalans are here in Belize today. I don't this they will be so happy to go back and vote against Belize. This is our homeland now, that's why I would vote against them."
Marcos Rolando Segura, Resident in Belize 10 Years - Guatemala
"Belize is not Guatemala. Now as a Belizean I can say that I am here to serve Belize."
Indian nationals also have to renounce their citizenship before they take the oath as Belizeans.
