Tonight the October 6th referendum is on thin ice - as the Guatemalans have formally proposed a change in the date - and now it's left to be seen if Belize's Cabinet will agree. This is the news coming out of two days of meetings at the OAS Headquarters in Washington DC between diplomats on both sides.
But, the really big news coming from Washington is that Guatemala's Foreign Minister Fernando Carrera did not attend - he sent his Vice Minister, the equivalent of a CEO. Seasoned observers say that's a major disrespect - and it forced Belize's Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington to leave the meetings - since it is not considered appropriate for a Minister to participate in a meeting led by someone without ministerial rank.
But the meetings did carry on with Belize's CEO Alexis Rosado leading the Belize delegation - and sessions which started yesterday evening reportedly continued until late this evening.
We spoke to Belize's permanent representative to the OAS Nestor Mendez who told us that they received the Guatemalan's official proposal for a change in the referendum date. He said the proposal is now being taken back to Belize - where, Minister Elrington had indicated Cabinet must make the decision.
But, Mendez stressed that for the time being, the tri-lateral agreement to go to a referendum on October 6th stands. Mendez did add that the date was agreed to some time ago and surprises at this stage of the game are not a welcome development.
But, change is just what the Guatemalans seem to have in mind - and from the fact that this was announced at a press conference last week, to the weekend's absence of the Guatemalan foreign minister - at this stage, things are moving from one affront to the next. The OAS - which is also a party to the agreement Guatemala is now trying to change, is expected to issue a release tomorrow.
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