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Courtenay goes on to say that the internationalization of the Belize/Guatemala crisis, in light of the shooting death of a minor in the Chiquibul, is being used by Guatemalan army generals to push an aggressive military position against Belize. The full story, he says, must be told in the international community in the manner in […]
Secretary General of the O.A.S., Luis Almagro, was sitting comfortably witnessing a Culture for Peace Program at the Adjacency Zone on Wednesday removed from what was happening at the Sarstoon where the Guatemalan Armed Forces were making their presence known immediately in front of the Forward Operating base. As far as we can tell, the […]
Written on April 22, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on O.A.S. Issues Statement Repudiating Death of Guatemalan Minor in Chiquibul
Senator Eamon Courtenay, this morning expressed dismay at the O.A.S. pointing out that the organization is well aware of the plunder of Belize’s resources in the Chiquibul by Guatemalan nationals. He said that the circumstances deserve a stepping up of diplomatic work. Eamon Courtenay, Opposition Representative “In my experience, the O.A.S. does not issue […]
Written on April 22, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on O.A.S. is Aware of Guatemalan’s Pillaging Belize’s Natural Resources
Since we visited the Sarstoon on Wednesday for the inauguration of the joint operations Forward Operating Base a lot has happened. A Guatemalan minor was shot and killed in the Chiquibul, allegedly by a B.D.F. Patrol returning fire, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has inflamed the issue with a very strong video message and Guatemalan troops […]
Aside from the Sarstoon, we headed to Benque which is the western town on the border with Guatemala. We witnessed Guatemalan children crossing the border to attend school in Belize. And while business has slowed down, the flow of traffic and people continued without incident. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has a report from Benque. […]
Apart from the O.A.S. and Mexico issuing statements on the latest developments between Belize and Guatemala, the U.S. State Department made a brief comment on the escalated tension. The press statement by Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson John Kirby, says, “We are deeply concerned by reports today that a child was killed and two family […]
The government of Mexico has also issued a statement. Our neighbor to the north reiterates its support for the efforts of both countries to advance the solution to the dispute that maintain as well as its support for the initiatives that are implemented within the framework of the O.A.S. to promote measures of confidence building. […]
The P.U.P. leader told News Five on Thursday that Senator Eamon Courtenay continues as his chief representative on the advisory group to the Belize/Guatemala issue. Former Minister Assad Shoman has moved on. Now, Minister Elrington and Senator Courtenay have not always seen things eye to eye. Courtenay was this morning asked about the relationship with […]
Written on April 22, 2016 | Posted in
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People & Places |
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The Organization of American States has issued a release on the fatal shooting of Guatemalan minor Julio Rene Alvarado, in the Chiquibul on Wednesday. The release states that, “the O.A.S. General Secretariat repudiates the death of a Guatemalan minor at the hands of a Belizean patrol and urges both sides to redouble efforts to establish […]
The Belize Territorial Volunteers will be heading to Sarstoon on Saturday, April thirtieth. Or will they? Maheia has been accused of provoking the Guatemalans, so he is certainly on the blacklist of both militaries. Brigadier-General David Jones, even before the current high alert, reiterated that civilians will be stopped and even if he hadn’t said […]
Written on April 22, 2016 | Posted in
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Tonight, there is heightened tension on both Belizean and Guatemalan fronts following the death of a Guatemalan minor and a very strong and disturbing message to Belize from Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. First, the shooting….News Five has confirmed that at around six-thirty Wednesday evening, seven B.D.F. soldiers and seven FCD rangers were destroying farms within […]
The release from the Government of Belize does not respond to the bold statement of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. News Five has been reliably informed that Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Morales are meeting in New York tonight, where both have gone to sign on to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We’re assuming that […]
As you heard just now, Belize has asked the O.A.S. for a verification exercise for Wednesday’s shooting near Cebada. This morning, just before he left the country, O.A.S. Secretary-General Luis Almagro made reference to the urgent need for just such an exercise in the interest of keeping the peace between both countries. Luis Almagro, […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on O.A.S. Secretary-General Says Verification Exercise is Critical
The Secretary General’s brief interview at the Phillip Goldson International Airport was essentially a continuation of an ad hoc question and answer session at the western border on Wednesday which ended abruptly. While Almagro’s itinerary did not necessarily include formal discussions on protocols governing the Sarstoon area, he did meet with Prime Minister Dean Barrow […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Almagro Says O.A.S. Can’t Speak on Rejected Proposals
Before that shooting near Cebada, the biggest thing in the news would have been the actions by Guatemala on Wednesday, as the Ministry of National Security inaugurated its Forward Operating Base at the Sarstoon. Vessels from the Guatemalan base stationed themselves well within Belizean territory, and at one point were less than one hundred feet […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on P.U.P. Leader Says GAF Actions at Sarstoon Constitute an Act of Aggression
And where the Opposition’s participation in the Belize/Guatemala talks is concerned, there is very significant news. Ambassador Assad Shoman is out, and Ambassador Eamon Courtenay is in. We could not confirm whether the very sudden removal of Shoman as P.U.P. Representative is based on the fact that last week he stated that he is not […]
This morning, Briceño also briefed News Five on the meeting with Secretary-General Almagro which included the participation of former P.U.P. Foreign Ministers Said Musa, Lisa Shoman, Godfrey Smith and Eamon Courtenay. He told us that the Opposition took great pains to reject Guatemala’s claim and recent actions and also to let him know that the […]
As we reported earlier in the newscast, there is a build-up of Guatemalan troops on the Sarstoon and along the adjacency zone. It comes immediately after President Jimmy Morales issued a statement saying he would beef up his security forces and recalled his ambassador. Now PM Dean Barrow is in New York for the signing […]
Three years ago, Denny Grijalva, the U.D.P. Orange Walk standard bearer, his wife Emelda and their foreman, Javier Nunez were found to be excavating limestone from the Mayan site Noh Mul to be used in the construction of roads. They were taken to court for causing the destruction of a Mayan site, this week they […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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There is another recent case involving the destruction of Mayan sites, but in the south. Rupert Myles was detained in June of 2015, according to traditional Maya customs, for desecrating a mound within the Uxbenka Archaeological Site. Myles, despite warnings from Mayan leaders in the community, had constructed his wooden house atop a monument and […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Rupert Myles’ House Will Be Moved
As many as nineteen persons have been charged in connection with the home invasion of Lebanese Honorary Consul Sarkis Bou Nehra in early December 2015. In the robbery in Burrell Boom, Belize District, a number of items were stolen including guns and household items of significant value. Some of the items have since been recovered, […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
Crime,
Trials |
Comments Off on The Accused in Bou-Nehra Home Invasion Back in Court
The shooting of the Guatemalan minor occurred in the Chiquibul, in an area which is known for illegal marijuana plantations. Ironically, on Wednesday Brigadier-General David Jones spoke to us about the ongoing B.D.F. patrols in the area to address the situation of illegal farming and marijuana cultivation. He couldn’t have known that just hours after […]
We also spoke to the general about the new state of affairs in the Sarstoon following the rejection of the protocols by Guatemala. Jones clarified that any understanding of non-interception would apply only to other military craft and not to civilians going into the Sarstoon. Keep in mind this interview was done on Wednesday, hours […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on General Jones Says Civilians in the Sarstoon Will Be Intercepted by GAF
Head of the Territorial Volunteers Wil Maheia attended the inauguration of the Forward Operating Base on Wednesday. He’s been a longtime advocate for a military presence in the Sarstoon, and his Belize Territorial Volunteers have led expeditions to the area since 2015. He told us that the base is good, but he’s not convinced yet […]
Written on April 21, 2016 | Posted in
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People & Places |
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While the Belize/Guatemala dispute remains an ongoing geopolitical issue, the option of going to the International Court of Justice for resolution is one that is as openly supported as it is frankly balked at. Political and grassroots organizations, including the Belize Progressive Party and COLA, respectively, have emphatically rejected the idea of going to the […]
