And back to Belize Guatemala relations….as you heard in the top segment, in response to the fatal shooting of 13 year old Julio Alvarado in the Cebada area of Chiquibul, the Guatemalan Armed Forces are right now assembling at the Sarstoon. It is an extremely alarming and disturbing reality right now for Belizeans who are all wondering what will happen next. Well, Secretary General Luis Almagro says all this can be avoided - all these confrontations and violence at the border can end - but that is if both countries agree to take the dispute to the ICJ. Here is how he put it today.
H.E. Luis Almagro, Secretary General - OAS
"It is very necessary that the political state of Belize and also Guatemala, that the case should move ahead to the International Court of Justice as soon as possible. Because this will clear all these problems and will clear the way for solutions for this kind of issues that are happening these days."
But, one thing that is somewhat stifling the referendum, is Belize's 60% threshold. Guatemala had suggested that Belize change it to 50% so as to make the process easier. We asked Almagro about how this affects the entire process and he told us it is up to Belize to decide on this threshold as soon as possible so as to move forward.
H.E. Luis Almagro, Secretary General - OAS
"That is something that democratically the people of Belize have to decide. Of course you have better chances to win when you surpass 50% than 60%. It's quite an obvious mathematical question. It's a movement forward. But I think, I really wish that the votes of the referendum are all count, the positive response of the citizens here in Belize, will be much higher than that in any case. So, we cannot precipitate about calling a referendum. A lot of education should be done. But I think it will be very important that this movement is as soon as possible."
We had many other questions, but Almagro - whose organization always so keen to criticize countries who show contempt for freedom of the press - only took three from the entire Belize media. He also met with the PUP Foreign Affairs subcommittee today.
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