B.D.F. shoots Guatemalan with high powered rifle
The Belize Defence Force, the Guatemalan military and OAS representatives convened today in Santa Elena, Petén. The meeting is taking place on the heels of an incident along the border on Monday in which a Guatemalan national was shot by a B.D.F. patrol. The B.D.F. has increased presence along the borders because of persistent illegal logging and incursions in Belizean territory. Tensions are running high as a result of Monday’s incident and the Guatemalan press has been keeping an eye on the developments that are escalating into a major diplomatic spat between Belize and Guatemala. The Guatemalan government is protesting the incident that they say happened on their side of the border. The issue has also been raised with OAS representatives that monitor the adjacency zone. According to a release from the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry posted on their website, the government is expressing its concern that a house belonging to Roberto Flores Felipe was shot at while twenty-one year old Luis Alberto Garcia Pineda was shot. The government release says that the Guatemalan embassy in Belize has asked the OAS to verify the incident and to determine who was responsible for the incident. The government of Guatemala is also asking the government of Belize to instruct the B.D.F. to comply with the confidence building measures and to respect the rights of persons who live in the area of the adjacency zone. 
A report in Prensa Libre today shows a picture of Garcia at a hospital in Poptun where he is being treated for the injury to his hand. Garcia told the newspaper that on Monday at about one o’clock, he and a group of villagers were alerted that a B.D.F. patrol comprising at least forty-seven soldiers had detained three children who were cutting wood in the area of San Jose Las Flores, Chiquibul, Melchor de Mencos. Garcia claims that when the group headed to the area, they were met by B.D.F. gunfire. He also alleged that they had to plea for their release and that the B.D.F. went back to the village and shot at Garcia’s house. The B.D.F. version is different. They claim that the Guatemalan group was armed with machetes and an AK-47 rifle as they advanced into Belizean territory. They were asked to stop but instead they reached for their weapons at which point the B.D.F. fired shots.
our BDF ar too lax. They should have shot all 5 stupid guatemalans. Belize is ours, not for guatemala.
It is very desturbing to see how again and again GOB falls into Guatemalan’s game. When Guatemalans Bandorelos fire upon our security forces inside Belizean territory, we do not hear GOB demanding accountability from the Guatemalan Govt. Just recently, we have had reports of such happenings inside our borders. A few weeks ago, it was reported that a Belizean Police was assaulted by Melchorenos infront of the OAS Office inside Belizean Territory. The Belizean Police was not killed simply because his weapon was not loaded. GOB must let the Guatemalan Govt. Know in no uncertain language that Belize will not tolerate illegal incursions by Guatemalans for illegal activities inside our Sovereign Territory and that Belize will appropiately respond accorrding to the circumstances. Having said this, It is PUDP GOBs fault for their appeasement policy towards Guatemala and thus fail to comply with their first duty towards God and the Belizean People and that is: PROVIDE SECURITY FROM INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THREATS. It is time to stop bending over.
It’s long overdue that GOB give this situation some priority and decide what to do. GOB should take the money that is budgeted for the Jalacte highway and use it to build a fence along the hot spots on the Border; but not just any “poco tiempo” fence, one like the ones Israel build to stop Palestinian from enterring Israel. This situation has to be dealt with urgently; it will only get worse and Guatemalans will paint a different picture as if they are the victims of Belize aggression. I would have liked to out there and shoot some of them, not on their hand though.
GOB it’s time that you leave other matters and deal with Belizes’ sovereinty !!
not surprised that the BDF acts as wild and lawless as the Police and GSU… following the example of the PM: do whatever you want whislt in power. I am sure that the guats come illegally into our soil… but there must be something else about the BDF actions.
How many Belizeans have been killed in Guatemala and their families havn’t received any justice.I know of a Belizean who was shot about twenty times in Guatemala.Furthermore his family members were not given access to his body.The man was buried some where in guatemala by the Guatemalan authorities that killed him.Why havn’t our government investigated that case?
BElize is too small to compared to Guatemala. why goevernment dont interfere well because to every one BDF in BElize guatemala has atleast twenty therefore that means that if war starts belize cant battle with all those peoples there. get a reality and see the map to see the size.!
quite true…. belize is ours…..why allow dem 2 do their stupid logging in our precious country… and on top belize is small. Guatemala has all the land they need so why harass Belize .???? wake up…!!!!! the more illegal logging happening the more guatemalans are convinced…. put a stop 2 this nonsense….
I have to give the BDF merit in their work. These areas are very tough place to work. I find the story of the guatemalan to hard to believe. One person shot out of all this alleged shooting that the BDF did. i dont think so. No to the adjacency zone. no to confidence building measures and no to guatemalan incursions in belize. this has to stop.. and it has to stop now. Belize is Belize.. If the guatemalans want land let them ask their Army generals to return the lands they took in Peten. These people are destroying our natural resources. BDF you guys made one mistake… letting them live…
Cindy:David killed Goliath with a sling and stone.As a result why do you think we can’t whip the hell out of Guatemala with a couple bombs?
This is the time we need to hear from Barrow, the PM or National Security minister. Support our army by saying something. Our soldiers are in the line of fire and they are doing their job. They are defending our country. Guatemalans need to respect Belize so GOB needs to support our soldiers. This is the time we need Barrow instead of enjoying LA trips, privitazing companies, and banking his law firm. As PM, his focus should be defence and the interest of Belize, not his pockets….
Thanks BDF, you guys are doing a great job and I wish the PM would say the same instead of going on trips overseas, enhancing his law firm, and privitazing the same companies that are genetrating jobs in Belize. As PM, he should be out there like the old George Price lobbying support of our troops. Our boys are doing a great job and keep in line with your work. Send Guatemalans a message not to mess with us. Dont let corruption get into your heads like the PM, but keep defending our beautiful country. We are unique since we are the only English speaking country in Central America and lets keep it that way. Thanks soldiers!!!
I agree with Elgin Martinez.. Thanks for sticking up for Belize… U’re a proud Belizean… Keep it that way…. Cindy must not be a Belizean…… Or she’s just simply ignorant
@ elgin martinez….in a democracy we have to listen to and respect everyone’s opinions, BUT REALLY, ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!
This Guatemala da lone bull crap!!! I find it very hard to believe Guatemala because all of BELIZEANS know that guatemalans always in Belize doing illegal stuff. In fact, i want to join the BDF and lay my life for my country BELIZE!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM BELIZE!!!!
GO BDF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elgin, this has nothing to do with “whipping the hell … with bombs”. Bze doesn’t even have enogh money to provide it’s citizens with proper infrastructure and and an overall better way of life much less bombs.
Cindy, it is true that Bze is small compared to Guat and that it has a much smaller population that Guat, but that is beyond the point.
The fact is, when an incursion like this occurs, then it is up to the parties involve to have PROOF of what really transpired. It matters not what the BDF says, or the other party or the GOB or the Guats. The verdic should rest on the PROOF.
GOB is in dire need of a good awakening. They need to wake up and take care of people and the country as a whole. Unfortunately, the majority of the people are really not ready for this as they are still too comfortable in their misery. Until they really get enough and start making those they elect to lead more accountable, the situation will not improve.
It is true that Bze is small; it is true that Bze has only a small population, but it is sad that even so we can not get a hold of the crime situation in our land, etc. Perhaps we are awaiting some catastrophic situation to occure to awaken us from our slumber.
Who knows????
Hablar babosadas es facil, pero yo les pregunto si los campesinos hubieran llevado fusil AK-47, ningun soldado estaría vivo, porque esa gente sirvió en el ejercito de guatemala durante la guerra y está entrenada, pero eso es solo falacias de las BDF, además el acuerdo firmado en 2000 no permite mover de lazona deadyacencia esas comunidades guatemaltecas, hasta que no vayan a la corte, además la paciencia de los campesinos tiene un limite! saludos
@Rafael Baro. Que babosadas hablas. Despues de incursionar miles de veces en territorio de Belice para explotar los recursos naturales de Belice, la paciencia de los campesinos ya se les agoto. Es la paciencia del pueblo beliceño que ya se agoto por que el gobierno hace nada para ponerle fin a la invasion de los guatemaltecos en suelo beliceño. El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz!
Its because TIA is govt owned while CIAL is private owned