Coast Guard Commander Takes Aim at Overhead Drone

By the time the ceremony had gotten underway, Guatemalan vessels had made their way into the waters directly in front of the base, less than a hundred feet out. That was intrusive enough, but then a drone appeared in the airspace directly above the base, presumably recording footage for the G.A.F.  It’s an invasion any way you look at it, and Coast Guard Commandant Rear Admiral John Borland took immediate action, heading out to the end of the pier directly under the drone, long range rifle in hand.

Rear Admiral John Borland, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“It is a breach of our security and it’s an act of brazenness on whoever sent that drone over here and it should not be condoned and it should be addressed. The same thing happened when we were here for the groundbreaking ceremony and again it is being repeated. We did address it at that time that it is not a welcomed gesture for whoever is responsible and I hope we do so again. It should not be countenanced; it is a breach of our sovereignty, it is a breach of our airspace and it really is nothing but outright disrespectful.”

John Borland

Mike Rudon

“Do you feel that Belizean law enforcement personnel would be justified to do whatever it takes to get that drone from out of Belizean territory?”

Rear Admiral John Borland

“Well justified in doing whatever it takes has to be broken down. I think the first measures are to address it seriously at levels above me; that it not be countenanced, not be tolerated and not be repeated. But I feel completely disrespected today to see it repeated after the first time and we addressed it and we thought that that act would be discontinued.”

Reporter

“How as it addressed?”

Rear Admiral John Borland

“It was addressed through diplomatic channel.”

Reporter

“Sir we saw as well—and correct me if I am wrong—you took it upon yourself, not that it was a directive from the minister who stood there and said it’s in our airspace. Did you take it upon yourself to walk out there on the dock and point toward it as if though you were going to shoot it down?”

Rear Admiral John Borland

“Well I wasn’t going to shoot it down. All I was trying to do was send a message; that that thing was in our airspace and it should leave.”

John Saldivar

John Saldivar, Minister of National Security

“The last time one such event had occurred, we were told that it was the Guatemalan media. But that aside, yes, it is an invasion of our airspace and I believe you saw we were about to take appropriate action.”

We note that by the time Borland stood ready with the rifle, the drone’s handlers took evasive action and moved it way out of harm’s way to the Guatemalan side.