Yesterday we told you about the provocative release issued by the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs - blaming the BDF for the recent incidents on the Sarstoon. The Guatemalan government also stated that they are rejecting attempts by Belize to exercise sovereignty and claims that the Sarstoon Island belongs to it. These are hardline statements - and they are coming directly out of Guatemala City - not some regional outpost. Today we asked the PM for a response - and - quite surprisingly - he said he had not read the incendiary statement:
John Briceno, Prime Minister, Minister of Civil Aviation
"I have not listened to their statement. It does not matter, we have our statement and we just had another release from the Commonwealth, our friends showed that Belize has strong international support and we will continue to push the diplomatic part. I know that there are a lot of people in Belize that want to talk macho that oh we need to go and fight back. The truth of the matter is they have an army of almost 20,000, or well over 100,000 and they have all the equipment. They have 18 million to 400,000. We have to be realistic. We need to fight diplomatically and we have been having success after success and we continue to have success. And I have every confidence that whenever the court listens to the case at the ICJ that we are going to be successful."
After that brief response The Prime Minister turned and left, and would not take any more questions about the departure of his Minister of state Chris Coye at the end of the month.
