Yesterday we gave you more details on the Guatemalan sand barge heading for Sarstoon Village that became grounded in Belizean waters in front of the forward operating base. The Guatemalans claim they called in the GAF because the BDF were trying to charge them. Today the BDF commander denied that:
Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"I don't believe that is the case. As I mentioned earlier, we were notified about the barge that was trying to get into Guatemala however, as we all know at the entrance of the mouth of the Sarstoon rivers it always has sludge. They knew that we were working there some months ago and some of our barges were ferrying materials so they tried to use that channel but they couldn't make it that far because it was shallow so they started to unload and they called in. They were bringing sand and aggregates to construct a church as we understand at the Sarstoon village on the Guatemalan side. so because they couldn't get in smaller vessels or skiff, came to unload and tried to ferry the sand but by bit and their vessels, until there was enough buoyancy for the barge to make it across."
Jo-
"The BDF chose to allow the barge, innocent passage? Were they forced to do this because the coast guard came too late?"
Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"We were communicating while, I was communicating WhatsApp messages with Admiral Bennett and he told me it is OK to let them in because they were bringing something to construct. It was not something or a military boat, or some other things that are illicit or contraband per say, and if it was contraband that was not contraband because the materials were reportedly they brought it from Livingston in the area of Izabal in Guatemala so that could be allowed and the admiral communicated to me that that is called innocent passage, so hence the reason why we allow them in and we communicated with the commander there, so if there was a matter of extortion, I don't think that we would have communicated with them, but they communicated with us to keep us updated on the situation."
