The PUP Will Not Re-Engage in Guatemala Talks

John Briceno

The Sarstoon River remains a question mark. There are no official rules of engagement or protocols. As far as News Five has proven, civilians cannot go in there. We’ve been stopped by armed Guatemalan soldiers every time we’ve tried. There’s a timeline of sorts for a compromise of sorts, tentatively the end of the year. Any move forward will now be solely government orchestrated and implemented since the Opposition has pulled out. The Prime Minister, at least on the public stage, has indicated he’d want them to re-engage. So, will they?

John Briceño, P.U.P. Leader

“We have already said to the Prime Minister over and over that the way we are going is in the wrong direction that the government is taking us in the negotiations with Guatemala. And that is why we have said that we need to set up a national team to look after, to help us with the negotiations with the Guatemalans and the national team should comprise of both members of both parties and probably somebody in the unions and the N.G.O. community – for us to be able to do three things – to come up with a message, a strategy and internationalization of the problem here on the ground. Until the Prime Minister is ready to do that why would we waste time? This is not a political matter but we want it to be addressed in a way where we can get the right results for the Belizean people.”