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Eyebrows were raised across Belize today when footage emerged of a trio of Guatemalan soldiers - waltzing into the Immigration Hall at the Benque Viejo border.  It’s seen as a major disrespect by those with experience in border relations, but the soldiers - one of them a Kaibil -  appeared to be taking their sweet time.  

It happened on Tuesday night and the video leaked out today - on Breaking Belize News.  

But, here’s probably why they were here.  Earlier that same day Belizean police allegedly roughed up Prensa Libre Newspaper journalist, Rigoberto Escobar.  Escobar crossed the western border to Belize to get footage of the adjacency zone. According to a report in Prensa Libre, a policeman along with two Belizeans civilians approached him and told him to leave. That’s when the officer allegedly assaulted Escobar. After the incident, he went to report it at the Guatemalan customs. Police wouldn't comment today, leaving it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

A few minutes ago - the government of Belize sent out a statement, saying, quote, “The Ministry of Defence wishes to make clear that the BDF was not involved in a recent incident at the Benque Viejo del Carmen Border involving a Guatemalan media personnel. Â The Belize Defence Force does not currently have a permanent presence at the Western Border or any other formal border entry facility.  The BDF at all times would only attend to matters at these facilities on a needs basis. The BDF therefore was not at the Western Border Facility at the time of the incident.â€￾ End quote. 

Now, for context, it’s important to go back to November 2017, when 4 Guatemalan soldiers and two media workers came over to the Belize side of the western border. The media workers were reportedly capturing footage and conducting interviews without permission. While it certainly wasn’t a welcomed visit, there was no heated confrontation between the Guatemalan forces and the Belizean authorities in that case.  The police requested that they leave immediately, which they did without incident.

We will keep following this latest case.