Scuffle at the Belize/Guatemala border leaves sergeant injured
Skirmishes along borders are nothing strange but Belizean and Guatemalan authorities managed to pacify a situation before it got out of control on Wednesday morning near the office of the Organisation of American States. It all stemmed from an observation that Belizean border police made around nine-thirty that morning of a suspicious Guatemalan coyote entering the Belize Immigration office with travel documents that cops believe belonged to other people. Police detained him and handcuffed him but as they were about to transport him to the Benque Police Station, the man ran towards the border. This is where it got testy because police set chase and incidentally, Sergeant Francisco Patt, who was in civilian clothing and on his way to Melchor, saw the pursuit and assisted his colleagues in capturing the man before he crossed the border. However, the two became embroiled in an assault exchange, when the Guatemalan punched the officer and he in turn hit the Guatemalan with a rod. The man was eventually detained and taken to the Benque Police Station. Sergeant Patt continued on his way towards Melchor but as he exited the Guatemalan Immigration office a group of taxi drivers, money changers and coyotes attacked and beat him badly, threatening to kill him. Guatemalan authorities intervened and detained Patt at their station in Melchor, but the mob demanded his release to them. The matter was eventually resolved before any life was lost when both Guatemalan and Belizean police authorities met and took control of the matter. Today Guatemala’s Ambassador to Belize, Licenciado Manuel Tellez told News Five he was relieved that cooler heads prevailed.
Manuel Tellez, Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize
“What is important is that in the end the confidence building measures were concretely applied. The application of the agreement between Belize and Guatemala was carried through. In particular, this mechanism was activated in the adjacency zone, and since there were no charges brought against the individuals that were captured, both men were set free and the problem resolved.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crispin Jeffries, also said that while that matter was settled at the police level, personnel from the two countries’ Foreign Ministries are expected to meet shortly to try to prevent it from recurring. Jeffries also confirmed that cameras at the border area show the whole incident and that it happened mainly on the Belizean side of the border. He added that while there was no incident today, Belizean border police received threats and insults from the Guatemalan group who work in the area.
Eight months ago a uniformed Belizean police officer, Inspector Claudio Mai was also attacked and beaten by Guatemalans in front of the office of the Organisation of American States.
