On Friday we showed you the dangerous escalation of hostilities at the mouth of the Sarstoon by the Guatemalan Armed Forces. Clearly in Belizean waters, and right in front of the BDF's forward operating base, they berated the Belize Territorial Volunteers' Will Maheia and his crew - declaring angrily that they were in Guatemalan waters. Here's that exchange from Friday:
WILL MAHEIA:
"You all are in Belizean territory"
GAF MILITARY:
"You guys want to enter Guatemala, go to the Captain's office."
WILL MAHEIA:
"This is..."
GAF MILITARY:
"[unintelligible] if you comply with the procedures established by Guatemala. Meanwhile, you cannot be here in Guatemala!"
WILL MAHEIA:
"This is Belizean territory."
GAF MILITARY:
"This is not Belizean territory. You are talking about things that you don't know about. Comply with the Guatemalan law!"
WILL MAHEIA
"Comply with the Belizean law."
Again, all that happened right in front of the BDF base - and that video is - in fact - captured by soldiers looking at it unfold. It is indeed a very brazen incursion - and we asked Foreign Minister Eamon Courtney about it. He said, quote, "The Guatemala Armed Forces have recently been repeatedly violating our territorial integrity in the Sarstoon. We have protested these violations through diplomatic notes, in my speech at the UN and directly with the Guatemalan Foreign Minister. The need for a protocol is urgent and necessary. If these incidents persist, and I hope they don't, we will have to elevate our diplomatic efforts to ensure safety for Belizeans traversing the Sarstoon." End quote.
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