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Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also the police minister said it should be interpreted as intimidating behaviour:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I was told that there was a visit by the Guatemalan military in the vicinity of the border but I didn't get the part that it was done in an intimidating way. The report I got was that they were spoken to by our police personnel and after that they withdrew."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"But is that usual, is that something normal to come over and do their own tour?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I do not know the extent to which they came across if they did come across but we are neighboring countries and they must have some good reason why they want to be able to show what is the situation between us and them and I gather they were along with some journalists so it very well might have been an innocent expedition where they simply wanted to show the journalists what is the situation along the border with Belize."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Would we be able to do something like that, go over with police, Belizean police be able to go over with the media to the Guatemalan side and do just that?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I don't know if they came across, I don't know, I haven't gotten the results yet."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"But if they did."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I imagine if they did it would not necessarily be the proper thing to do without advice and without consulting their own Ministry of Foreign Affairs and getting the green light from them. The courteous thing to do and the proper thing to do really is get in touch with us and indicate to us that they intended to do that kind of thing."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Nobody from the Ministry of Affairs or anybody was consulted or informed that any military presence."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"That was so but I haven't heard from the military in Belize neither have I heard from the police on it."

"It is something we are looking into and as soon as we get a report on it we will take whatever steps deemed necessary."

Of course, it does strike us as slightly strange that as police minister and foreign minister, Elrington says that he has not heard from police on it.

And while Elrington said he will have to wait for a police report, he may have mis-spoken, because it seems his ministry already has one. A press release issued this afternoon says, quote, "Today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been notified by the Benque Viejo del Carmen Police Station that at about 10:45 a.m. on November 17th, 2017, four Guatemalan Military Kaibil personnel crossed into Belize along with three Guatemalan journalists. Belizean Police Officers, stationed in the vicinity of the border, approached the Kaibil who were at the "Welcome to Belize" sign, and informed them that they were in Belizean territory; the police requested that they leave immediately, which they did without incident. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised the matter with the Guatemalan authorities to prevent reoccurrence." End quote.

There is no clear language to say that a protest note will be sent.