Today, we contacted Foreign Minister Eamon Courtney for comment. He is currently in the US as part of Prime Minister Briceno's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, the OAS and the US State Department.
Via WhatsApp, he told us quote, "1. In keeping with our obligation to defend Belize's territorial integrity, I have verbally protested the illegal incursion into Belizean waters by the Guatemalan Navy and demanded the return of the flags. We have also lodged a strongly worded written protest.
2. The flags have been returned to Belizean custody and will be brought safely back to Belize tomorrow.
3. PM Briceno has briefed [the] OAS Sec. Gen. personally in DC yesterday.
4. At my invitation, the FM of Guatemala has agreed to meet in Lima, Peru, next wee to discuss this and other matters." End quote.
