And turning now from crime to diplomacy, Prime Minister John Briceno addressed the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. And, just as he said he would, early on into the speech he discussed the Guatemalan aggression on the Sarstoon:
John Briceno, Prime Minister of Belize
"Over the last two weeks, my country has chosen to act with restraint and caution in the face of repeated aggression and provocative actions by our neighbor Guatemala at our southern boundary - actions which seek to challenge Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Actions that do not accord with the obligations of states not to exacerbate or extend the dispute before the International Court of Justice."
"Belize took its seat in this assembly in 1981, less than half a century ago. Our membership was a milestone for our sovereignty. Global recognition of Belizean sovereignty also meant full recognition of our territory. We stand firm in the conviction that the boundaries of that territory were agreed in 1859, more than a century and a half ago, our anthem proclaims it. "From the proud Rio Hondo to the old Sarstoon, through coral isles over blue lagoon." Though our territory is contested, we remain firm, not belligerent, tested but not subdued, threatened but not deterred because the rule of law is on our side. Together with Guatemala, we submitted a dispute to the ICJ in 2019. We await the court's decision. We trust that justice will prevail. In the meantime, we reiterate our demand that Guatemala desist from any provocative behaviors which have the potential to affect or otherwise friendly bilateral relations. We reiterate our invitation to Guatemala to work with Belize in designing confidence building measures for the Sarstoon River and maritime spaces."
