And while, on many occasions, the BDF is forced to wait for further instruction before acting in the reserve, the same goes for their operations in the Sarstoon. Yesterday you saw the Guatemalan Armed Forces brazenly enter our waters as they followed behind our team's vessel, which had members of the Coast Guard and the Brigadier General onboard. One of the soldiers, in Spanish, spoke to Commander Azariel Loria, telling him that the vessel was in Guatemalan waters, and that they didn't want problems, but they would accompany the group.
Loria expressed to them that that side of the river was in Belizean territory, but he made no move to confront them about crossing the boundary. In fact, he was very relaxed while speaking to the GAF soldiers, which shocked many people.
Today, in a recorded statement, the Leader of the Opposition said that Loria's laidback approach was the fault of the government's failure to establish a Sarstoon protocol.
Voice of: Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Incompetent Briceno's failure to deliver promised Sarstoon protocol leads to continued Guatemalan incursions. The opposition registers its condemnation of the Guatemalan armed forces' breach our territorial integrity by entering Belizean waters to obstruct our military personnel from completing a trip around our Sarstoon island with members of the press and other distinguished invited guests of our Sarstoon forward operating base earlier on April 25th."
"While the United Democratic Party commends the members of our armed forces for exercising restraint in order to ensure the safety of civilians on board, we emphatically deplore the government's inability to deliver on the Sarstoon protocol they promise while campaigning to form government."
"According to individuals present on the Sarstoon trip, heavily armed Guatemalan soldiers approach the Belizean vessel carrying Brigadier General Azariel Loria and scolded them for being in Guatemala's territory, which is completely incorrect and abhorrent."
"Independent media reports go on to say that General Loria, in front of members of the Belizean press corps, did not respond. We find no fault in the general's decision. However, we blame the government for putting the general in a situation where he is under attack and aggressed by bullish Guatemalan armed forces. The opposition calls on Prime Minister Briceno and Foreign Minister Fonseca to summon the Guatemalan ambassador to Belize at once to protest this breach of our borders."
"An urgent diplomatic note must be sent. An engagement must be made with the Guatemalan President, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defence to underscore the need for the Guatemalan armed forces to adhere to international law, confidence building measures and other protocols established by the group of friends."
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