7 News Belize

Hon. Elrington Talks Hard At UN
posted (September 26, 2016)
Last Friday, we showed you how Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales made mischief at the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations. He used his debut speech to his fellow world leaders to attack Belize's credibility as a peaceful, responsible neighbor. Well, today when he addressed the Assembly, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington did not let it slide.

As we showed you, Morales told the UN General Assembly that Belize was at fault for the death of 14 year-old Guatemalan Julio Ruano. He persisted in complete disregard for the results of the OAS Independent Investigation Team, whose inquiry has completely vindicated Belizean lawmen in that shooting. Well, it's as though that was the final affront which pushed the usually reserved Elrington over the edge.

He's become well known in Belize for his passive stance on Belize/Guatemala relations, often choosing to stay out of open confrontation with the Guatemalan officials. But, today when Elrington took the world stage he laid a diplomatic smackdown on Guatemala's Morales.

He used a little more than 10 minutes of his 20 minute address to speak about Belize/Guatemala relations. He started first with their aggressive stance in the Sarstoon, the dangers that Belizean lawmen face while trying to protect the western border jungles, and the fact that the Belizean security forces personnel were simply defending themselves when the Guatemalan minor was killed in April of this year.

Here's what he had to say about the well documented Sarstoon river encounters of the last few months:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Our diversity, national identity and pride has long since been a source of strength for our people. We have never cowered in the face of repeated threats to our security by our neighbour, Guatemala. Regretfully, though not unpredictably, in the last 18 months, there have been hostile incidents between civilian and military personnel of both Belize and Guatemala in the Sarstoon River, our southern border. Guatemalan Naval personnel repeatedly impeded the peaceful ingress and egress of Belizeans, both civilian and military, on the River, wrongfully, claiming the river to be theirs. However, as the northern side of the river is Belizean territory, the unimpeded use and enjoyment of that side of that side of the river is the right of every Belizean citizen. Simultaneously, the situation along our Western Border was also vexing. Continuous illegal entry by armed trespassers from Guatemala persisted despite the valiant efforts of our border patrol to deter them. The trespassers engaged with impunity day and night in the panning of gold, the hunting for wild game and birds, the pillaging of Mayan temples, illegal logging, and the cultivation of crops, including marijuana for commercial purposes. From time to time, in the course of attempting to apprehend the trespassers, firearms are used by Belize security personnel and by the trespassers who are invariably armed. Indeed, between the period September 2014, and March 2016, a Belizean Tourist Policeman was killed, and a Belize Defence Force Sergeant was shot, though not fatally, by trespassers entering Belize from Guatemala."

From there, Elrington publicly called out the Guatemalan's for initially supporting the investigation into the Chiquibul shooting, and when the findings didn't support their story, they publicly rejected it. Here's how he reminded them that elements of their military tried to hide evidence which vindicated Belize's position by showing that they were fired upon, and that they had to defend themselves:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"At the specific behest of the Government of Guatemala, Belize requested the Secretary General of the OAS to cause to be launched a special official independent investigation into the incident. The OAS commissioned two senior eminently qualified specialists to undertake that special investigation with the full knowledge and approval of the Guatemalan Government. At the time of their appointment, Guatemala expressed no reservation as to their competence, suitability, or otherwise, to undertake that investigation. Shots were fired by both groups - Guatemalans, and the Belizean joint patrol - on that ill-fated night. And, the following morning, elements of the Guatemalan Army, along with civilians from a nearby Guatemalan village, entered Belizean territory illegally, visited the site, contaminated the scene, and withdrew and withheld evidentiary material that could have been useful to the investigation. The objective, impartial findings of fact established the correctness of the Belize's position from the start, and the wholly erroneous nature of the allegations leveled against our country by Guatemala. It completely absolves Belize of any and all blame for the incident. Guatemala has publicly and peremptorily rejected the Commission's report. However, it is certainly, irresponsible, if not reprehensible, and utterly unacceptable, that Guatemala should now seek to reject the results of a process which it had specifically requested, and agreed to, and which was conducted by OAS appointed, independent, third-country professionals with impeccable credentials, and with no axe to grind."

Elrington's entire speech was a little under 20 minutes.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize