The Brigadier General of the Belize Defense Force today came face to face with a Guatemalan Armed Forces soldier in Belize's side of the Sarstoon River.

The events that led up to the encounter began with the official opening of the BDF's Sarstoon forward operating base. The base was deemed unfit for soldiers back in the summer of 2022. In February of this year, there was a soft opening, but today, the base was officially inaugurated.

And after all the speeches and photos, the soldiers took the media around Sarstoon Island, through the southern channel, which borders the Guatemalan side but is the internationally recognized boundary of Belizean territory. That didn't stop the GAF from following our team and declaring that they were in Guatemala.

Courtney Menzies went south today and has a recap of the encounter. Here is that story. The Sarstoon River is all that separates Belize from Guatemala, which makes this BDF forward operating base one of the most important security points in the country. However significant erosion made it unsafe for the soldiers to maintain a permanent presence. Now, almost two years later, the soldiers have returned to ensure the river is monitored, day and night.

And the importance of the BDF's presence at that strategic location was underscored today when our vessel had an encounter with the Guatemalan Armed Forces in the river.

As we are going around the Sarstoon Island, the Guatemalan Armed Forces are here beside us, keeping a visual on us as we move past the Sarstoon Island. They followed us from their base, all the way around the island. Even though we are in Belizean waters, they have insisted to us that it is Guatemalan waters. They also said that they did not want problems, they are just here providing security for us. However, we are onboard with the Coast Guard and BDF soldiers, to ensure that it did not escalate.

And the BDF soldiers say that this is a common occurrence as they conduct their daily patrols, and when civilians traverse the river.

The GAF base is exactly across the river, and when the soldiers manning it saw our vessel heading around the island, they swiftly boarded theirs and chased behind us.

Without hesitation, or resistance, they sped into Belize's side of the Sarstoon River. Fortunately, Brigadier General Azariel Loria was with us, and he assisted in deescalating the situation.

GAF Soldier: "Vamos.."

"belice"

Brig. General Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"It's not frustrating to me because this is not the first time that they are there following us and we have been here on numerous occasions and they always follow us but we what we need to do it to have a bit of common sense and report it through the channels. It's not for me to decide on what to do here, so I have directed my deputy commander, as soon as we reach on camp, to document it, send it to the Ministry of Defense and National Security and they in turn will send it to Foreign Affairs and then it becomes diplomatic, they will find a solution, they will know what else to do, to send a protest note to Guatemala, call them, I don't know, that is above me."

Reporter:
"Does it actually work because next time somebody comes in this area, it'll happen again?"

Brig. General Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"We will keep patrolling what is ours and we will not stop."

But even with the highest ranking member of the Belize Defence Force onboard our vessel, the Guatemalan soldiers kept pace with us, following us around the island, and remaining in Belize's side of the river. And the BDF soldiers did not aggress them for crossing boundary lines.

According to Loria, it's all about maintaining diplomacy.

Reporter:
"While you are very calm about the situation, in the eyes of the rest of the Belizeans, it's very unfair to say the absolute least, that we can't go in our own waters, not only that, but they are in our waters, they are on our side."

Brig. General Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"Agreed, it's on our side, disputed waters. And our best weapon in this case is diplomacy. That is what we have to do. Diplomacy is our weapon, our pen is our swords, and that is how we have to treat it right now, to treat it diplomatically at this point in time."

And that's why Loria also explained that if any civilians want to visit the Sarstoon, they must check in with the base, or they will likely be harassed by the GAF soldiers.

But now, BDF soldiers are maintaining a permanent presence, and their forward operating base is built to withstand the waves of the river and the sea.

Major Miguel Tuyub - OC, Sarstoon FOB
"When we compare the 2016 forward operating base the renovations is far different than the last one. Since we have this conference room, we have the booth, we have the bathroom, a complete bathroom this side, we have the water catchment system, this is better renovated than the last 2016 location."

Brig. General Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"The erosion was something that we couldn't control it got out of hand and eventually the sea and the river ended up under the building but now it's night and day difference, the solders are at peace they can have a good night's rest not worrying if the building will collapse anymore."