Wilfred Elrington Not Surprised by Guatemalan Settlement in Belizean Territory

Wilfred Elrington

We also asked Elrington about a settlement which has been discovered on the Belize side of the border with Guatemala. The revelation was made by Commander of the B.D.F. Brigadier General David Jones. Jones claims that it is a small settlement about sixteen meters inside the border near San Valentin. While Elrington had not been briefed, he told News Five it’s a scenario which is likely, and likely to happen more often.

Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I would not be surprised that it happened because there is a tremendous pressure on the Guatemalan side by the Guatemalan peasants for land and with the drought in the Pacific side there is really an exodus of Guatemalans coming toward the Peten area, and from the Peten area it’s only a stone’s throw to Belize. So there is always this pressure on the part of the Guatemalan peasantry for land and Belize is an easy target for them. I do not know the details of it. But I would not be surprised. It is for that reason that certainly we in the U.D.P. Government and I in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs am so concerned about having the dispute resolved because that sort of situation in my view will only get worse. It will not get better. And we will best be able to deal with it properly without any sort of repercussion from international and local sources if in fact our boundaries are clearly demarcated, defined and cleared out so we can see clearly when they are coming across and when they are across. That is one of the main reasons why I personally regard it as so important that we try to settle the claim as quickly as possible.”