To Guatemala, “Sign the Damn Protocol”

Still on the Sarstoon…the establishment of a protocol between Belize and Guatemala to govern the movement of people along the Sarstoon River is long in the making.  In 2015, representatives of both countries met in Istanbul, Turkey to hammer out an agreement, but that has not materialized.  Despite a concerted effort by the Organization of American States and other regional organizations, Guatemala hasn’t been persuaded to sign an agreement.  Ambassador Alexis Rosado, who also heads the Referendum Unit, spoke of the many attempts that have been made at the diplomatic level.

Alexis Rosado

Alexis Rosado, Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala

“All of them have repeated called on the Guatemalans to engage with us for the development of a mechanism for confidence building measures along the Sarstoon. This has been going on repeatedly since 2015; ever time they meet, they repeat the same statement and those messages are delivered to Guatemala.”

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“The constant reminders, the constant push that in being intransigent, they are in fact, poking a finger in the eye of the O.A.S. and other international organization, is something that Belize continues to maintain. The Foreign Minister will tell you that there is a Belize/Guatemala Commission and again we cannot have a meeting of the commission without our side saying to the Guatemalans, you need to sign the damn protocol.”