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Today, Opposition Leader stressed that at this time, they are both proud and ashamed:

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"My friends today we are filled with two distinctly opposite emotions; pride and shame. Pride in our Belizean citizens who on Sunday August 16th, gathered in the beautiful community of Barranco in the southern Belize and embarked on a journey of courage and determination in support of Belize's territorial integrity and sovereign dignity. Pride in those who stood up to Guatemalan aggression in defense of our homeland. At the same time we experienced shame. Shame in our Belize government that failed in its most fundamental of duties. Most fundamental of its obligations, the protection of its citizens and the protection and preservation of our nation state. Shame on this UDP government. Shame on Prime Minister Barrow. Shame on Foreign Minister Elrington. Shame on the Minister of National Security John Saldivar. If this UDP government cannot stand up for and protect its citizens - Belizean citizens. If they refused to protect and defend our territory, then they are useless. We want peace with Guatemala and we must always work together to achieve that peace, but it must be based on respect. Not on fear. Not on intimidation and certainly not on appeasement. We demand that our Belize government seek a full and unequivocal apology from the Guatemalan government by way of a diplomat note for their military's actions on Sunday - a full explanation of why they acted in the manner in which they did. A formal commitment that such actions and behavior will not be repeated."

To reiterate the positions of the party, two PUP politicians, who are former BDF soldiers, took the opportunity to explain why they disagree with the decision of the security apparatus of Belize to stay back:

(Ret.) Major Lloyd Jones, Standard Bearer - PUP
"I can tell you without a doubt that what we witnessed on Sunday was an assault on the sovereignty of this nation. Nothing short of that and if you have been following the behavior of the Guatemalans over the last few months, you will see an ever increasing aggressive posture on the part of the Guatemalans, even as our officials shirk and cower in the face of this kind of behavior. What we had was an armed incursion into Belize. That is what we had on Sunday. And these matters ought not to be taken likely and that the government of Belize has a duty to ensure that this kind of behavior is not repeated. The practice has always been that when you approached the Sarstoon River, the Guatemalans would come exercising what they called a right of visit. It is a normal practice under international law. But having determined that those people were Belizeans and that they were there for peaceful purposes that was the end of that right of visit."

(Ret.) Major Gilbert Swazo, Former PUP Mayor - Dangriga
"I am of the firm view that without the direction from the political directorate, that the BDF or military operatus will not in any way or form deploy. Because we as military professionals take orders from the government at hand and they, the military BDF, the Coast Guard were essentially deprived of their right to do their duty and that was as a result of not getting any direction from the political leadership that we have at this time."

So, since the PUP are willing to offer advice on how the incident should have been dealt with, we asked Francis Fonseca, how he would have handled the issue while weighing the dangers of having 2 armed military forces meeting on open waters in a confrontational situation:

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"I would have made it very clear to our security forces, the Belize Defence Force, the Coast Guard, that we have an obligation to protect our citizens. We seek no confrontation with Guatemala obviously, but if our citizens in good faith, if we have determined as a government that our citizens, concerned citizens of this country in good faith want to travel to a particular part of our territory and they are uncertain about that journey, that they would feel much more comfortable if our security forces were there in present to assist them and to guide them and to make sure that in fact there are no accidents or no misjudgments as to where they are - to ensure that they are at all times as they were, in Belizean territorial waters, I would have directed absolutely immediately directed my coast guard officials and the BDF to accompany them to Sarstoon Island and to ensure their safety and security."

Daniel Ortiz
"Would a consideration been on your mind that the military, being out there - if I understand the officials who spoken on this issue that just their mere presence there being armed could be mistaken as act of aggression. Would that have been a consideration in your mind, given the fact that from our perspective the Guatemalans put themselves in the way of the expedition to try to stop them - use force."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"Well that's exactly my point. That is why you require proper communication and that could have been done and should have been done. If there was any concerns at all that Guatemala would perceive any action on the part of Belize's military, Belize's Coast Guard, as some act of aggression - that could have completely put to rest long before Sunday."

Daniel Ortiz
"How do you respond to the criticism that that is a fantasy, that is not the way things operate out there in that area?"

Hon. Lisa Shoman, PUP Senator
"It's not a fantasy. It isn't a fantasy. I can tell you that there is constant contact between the Guatemalan Armed Forces and the Belize armed forces. There is a protocol that has been set up for many years as to how that communication occurs and both sides agree that of all the relationships between Belize and Guatemala, military to military is the most exercise and the most develop. So it isn't a matter of fantasy. It is a complete outrage to hear from my government that the presence of the Guatemala armed forces in Belizean waters yesterday was a courtesy to me, to you and to anyone else who was out there. That is absolutely outrageous and untrue. They were not there for courtesy. They were there to try and assert control over us."

And that's not the end of it!: Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow where he will discuss the trip and the implications.