BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister John Briceno urges Belizeans to not frequent the controversial Sarstoon River border, fearing additional escalation of tensions between Guatemala and Belize.
Briceno commented in an interview with native media following elevated tensions on the Sarstoon River between Belizean and the Guatemalan Armed Forces.
Some of the latest face-offs was between the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV), whose core duty is defending Belize’s marine sources, and Guatemalan fishermen.
“I urge the territorial volunteers to watch out. We settle for what they’re doing and perceive that they’re in our territory, and Belizeans are speculated to be at liberty to maneuver anyplace within the nation, together with the Sarstoon.
“However due to the tense state of affairs with the army in that space, I’m urging them to watch out,” Briceno instructed reporters.
Guatemala and Belize have a long-standing border dispute courting again to the start of the Nineteen Nineties. Guatemala claims about 11,000 sq. km (4,250 sq. miles) of Belize, half of its territory.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the small measurement of Belize’s Defence power and its obvious incapacity to match that of their Guatemalan counterparts, stating that in as a lot because the nation would have preferred to invade Guatemala, they’re no match for them.
“They take youngsters on the market generally, and God forbids one thing to occur. What are we going to do? We are able to’t invade Guatemala as a lot as we wish to. However, we will’t,” the Prime Minister stated.
Opposition chief Shyne Barrow referred to as the Prime Minister’s statements irresponsible, saying that there’s nothing “extra agitating and what escalates issues greater than you telling a rustic that you just wish to invade the nation,” including that “it’s unlucky that it comes on the value our nationwide safety’.
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