Guatemala ready to seek referendum on ICJ
fred martinez
In December of 2008, Belize and Guatemala signed a special agreement called a compromis. It heralded the possibility that the border dispute between the two countries could be settled at the International Court of Justice since negotiations had failed. Under the agreement, both countries would need to hold simultaneous referenda. Earlier this year, government officials, including Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Fred Martinez, the chief negotiator, said that Guatemala’s congress was not going to take action anytime soon on the necessary legislation to approve the conduct of a referendum to take their claim to the ICJ. The argument advanced was that the timing and political situation in Guatemala was not right. But over the weekend, more than a year and a half later, Guatemala’s congress approved the special agreement and asked its supreme electoral tribunal to convene the referendum. News Five got a comment from Martinez who says the move is a pleasant surprise.
Fred Martinez, Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala (via phone)
“The political consensus among the various groups within the congress—there are fourteen political groups represented in congress—and they have decided now that yes the referendum must be called because the constitution demands it. That if there is anything that will settle their claim with Belize must be subject to people. That is what their constitution called. Now in a way they were bound to approve special agreement, that they did it this quickly is a very pleasant surprise indeed.”
Jose Sanchez
“Being that we are in the middle of our independence celebrations, does it have any bearing; is there any point to the time that they are actually deciding to go with it?”
Fred Martinez
“No I don’t think it has any bearing at all. It is pure coincidence. This has been in the congress since January 2009, immediately after the signature of special agreement the month before in December 2008. The president sent it to the congress for approval, the congress went through the various motions that it must go through, sent it to the constitutional affairs committee, then to foreign relations committee. The constitution affairs committee finishes its work and said this is fine—it satisfies what the constitution calls for and they after much internal debate from what I understand elevated it to the plenary of congress and they have their own rhythm of work—the special agreement along with some other pieces of legislation that had been pending for almost a year and a half were also approved on the same day. So it’s all a coincidence really.”
Jose Sanchez
“Now, you are there in Guatemala, you have a sense of what the people are feeling. Do the Guatemalan citizenry even care about a referendum?”
Fred Martinez
“At this particular stage, I would have to say no they don’t because it has not been brought forward to their attention that they must go out and vote. There has been no sensitization of the electorate or education campaign as such, other than what has been seen in the press.”
The matter is now squarely on the lap of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Whether or not, he will proceed to referendum, is anyone’s guess but for now, there are other urgent and pressing matters of state to be dealt with.
We have enough problems in Belize right now, the last thing we need is to add Guatemala’s problems to the mix. Artificial border or not!
I just hope that if dis no good gov PM agrees for a referendum they dont make the stupid mistake to let nationalized aliens to vote,
maria martines,
i agree with you this referendum should be only belizean not nationalied since we have a vast amount of chapines in our jewel which they shouldn’t be qualified to vote. hopefully this bald head thinks better in this case since with local issues his no good at all.
We should seriously tell Guatemala to go …. themselves I am so goddamn sick of this ….; why the hell are we entertaining these pieces of crap any damn ways…so sick and tired of our GOB Red and Blue having every damn one push us around.
Send all those ‘naturalize’ Guatemalan back to their piece of …. country and tell Guatemala to go sit and spin; where are the politicians with spine in this country.
Maria Martinez, you make such a discriminating comment. For your information, since you referring to Aliens, do you know the Constitution of Belize? Guess from you stupid comment you don’t. Let me educate you a bit. The Constitution of Belize states that a foreigner after being legally in the country for 5 years uninterruptedly, can apply for Belizean citizenship. Most foreigners are allowed to keep dual citizenship, except Guatemalans. Guatemalans must renounce their citizenship.
Being Belizean legally means, that you were born in Belize or you have acquired citizenship by meeting the requirements stipulated in the Constitution of Belize. For your information, any foreginer that has been in Belize legally for more than five years and has become naturalized, has the same rights as a born Belizean.
Hence, regarding this historical issue, let me inform you that any Belizean has a right to vote. It doesn’t matter where they were born. May I add, some of the so-called aliens, are proud Belizeans and will vote at the referendum in Belize’s favor. The ICJ will decide on the way forward with this issue.
Death Squad,
You’re a perfect example of why Belize is so separated by cultural barriers. For your information, many of the born Belizeans are descendants of Mexican/Guatemalan/Salvadorean/Honduran immigrants. We are the majority. We call the shots….like it or not. We love Belize and will vote in Belize’s favor.
En cualquier punto de vista que tengan los belizeños creo que es irrelevante a los principios de los Guatemaltecos, porque belize es y a sido parte de Guatemala desde la independencia de 1821 lo que creo que pasa es que los europeos les dieron un caballo imaginario a los belizeños
lo que a echo que se revelen en contra de Guatemala, que se acuerden que si mañana tu suelo sagrado lo amenaza invacion extranjera libre al viento tu hermos bandera a vencer o a morir llamara, Recostada ante el ande soberbo de dos mares al ritmo sonoro bajo el alba de grana y de oro te adormece el belllo quetzal, como sea Guatemaltecos y belizeños somos hermanos y le damos la bien venida al mundo enterro en nuestro pais de la eterna primavera,