P.U.P. Says Naturalized Guatemalans Who Have Been in Belize for Decades are Belizeans

With re-registration of electors taking place, debate is raging about the registering of naturalized Guatemalans because it breaches the Belize Constitution. Section twenty-nine of the Constitution states that no person shall be granted Belizean nationality if that person is from a country that does not recognize Belize’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. In other words, Guatemalans cannot be granted Belizean nationality because their government does not recognize Belize’s territorial sovereignty. At least one organization intends to challenge the matter in court. But in the view of the Leader of the Opposition, naturalized Guatemalans who have been living in Belize for decades are Belizeans.

John Briceño

John Briceño, Leader of Opposition

“It is something that has to be given serious thought. What we have done, what we are doing at this time is that we have asked our legal advisor to be able to look at that situation. Many of these people have been here even before independence. They have been living here. In every way you can think about. The way they think. The way they live. The way they act. The way they talk. They are Belizeans. They have been here in Belize. The point I am trying to make is that we need to find a way how we can solve the situation. It is an unfortunate situation. The constitution is very clear on whether a citizen of Guatemala can get a nationality or not. To make the matter worse is that Guatemala supposedly does not accept their citizens to renounce their citizenship. Now we are being told that there is a form on how they can renounce their citizen. So that is something we need to look at.”