Belize’s Ombudsman joins Central American council

Belize’s Ombudsman, Paul Rodriguez, has been accepted as a full member of the Council of Central American Ombudsmen. Rodriguez was invited to join the council by Guatemala’s Ombudsman, Julio Arango Escobar, during the 12th annual meeting of the region’s Ombudsmen held last week in Guatemala. Rodriguez says one of the most important declarations made by the council involved the Belize Guatemala territorial dispute.

Paul Rodriguez, Ombudsman

“We extort the governments of Central America and Belize whose states have territorial disputes to resolve them by way of them direct negotiations in the spirit of Central American unity which should guide all their intentions and actions. This I think is a very significant declaration for Belize. You know that the official position of the Government of Guatemala has been that the matter should be resolved at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in Geneva. This declaration is saying no, this is a problem that ought to be solved by direct negotiations between the governments of Belize, the people of Belize and people of Guatemala.”