What is Mexico’s Interest in Belize and Guatemala Keeping the Peace?

Eamon Courtenay

The government of Mexico has also issued a statement. Our neighbor to the north reiterates its support for the efforts of both countries to advance the solution to the dispute that maintain as well as its support for the initiatives that are implemented within the framework of the O.A.S. to promote measures of confidence building. Eamon Courtenay says that Mexico also has a vested interest in having tensions diffused.

Eamon Courtenay, Opposition Representative

“Yes there are friends who we can call on, but we have to set what is our objective and how do we achieve it. We are not calling on anybody to provide military troops; that is not what we want. What we want is for influence and persuasion to be brought to bear on Guatemala to understand that the course that they have embarked upon is a course that is fraught with danger and that is going to create a risk to the breach of peace. I believe that there are countries in the region; I believe that there are countries outside the region that have enough influence with Guatemala that with the right cards being played, this matter can and will be resolved. I have confidence that our government is going to do what is necessary and I know that there are countries out there…for example, Mexico. Mexico doesn’t want a breach of the peace; Mexico doesn’t want a situation where Belize were to acquiesce in the annexation of the Sarstoon. Why? They have a border dispute with Guatemala and the situation, even though Mexico is a much bigger one, it is the precedence setting that all countries try to avoid. And therefore they have a vested interest in ensuring that something like this is resolved. There are other countries in Central America that also have border disputes and therefore this type of precedence they do not support. So the answer to the question very specifically is yes there are countries. But people act in their own interest, countries act in their own self interest. What is required is us to define this problem in a way that would cause countries to want to act in their own interest but which has the benefit for Belize.”