Information Brief: Belize-Guatemala relations

Belmopan - 08 January, 2001

The Governments of Belize and Guatemala, in July of 2000, agreed to a bilateral facilitation process that will last until August 31, 2001, which seeks a definitive solution to the Guatemalan claim to Belize.

Under the agreed upon process, a Panel of Facilitators has been appointed to assist the Governments to find a definitive resolution of the claim and a Mixed Commission has been appointed to implement confidence-building measures between the two countries.

On 8 November 2000, both Governments, along with the Panel of Facilitators, reached an important Agreement under which it was agreed that an Adjacency Zone would be established comprised of territory lying within one kilometer east and one kilometer west of the line or border running between both countries. Both sides also agree to work together to locate and identify all markers along the Belize-Guatemala border, to clear areas around these markers and to jointly prepare a map of the entire border area identifying all reference markers.

On 17 December 2000, Belizean authorities verified the existence of an illegal settlement of Guatemalan nationals in Belize beyond the Adjacency Zone at an area called Rio Blanco. Under the terms of the November 8th Agreement, had they been in the Adjacency Zone, they would be subject to removal under the prescribed arrangements. Since they are outside of the Zone, however, Belize is free to unilaterally deport them.

Notwithstanding this, Belize has, as a gesture of goodwill, requested the Facilitators to urgently name investigators to carry out a fact-finding mission within one wvek to determine whether the settlers are protected under the agreement or not, and if not to provide a mechanism for their orderly removal within a week of their determination. In any case, if the settlers are not protected by the Agreement, they will be removed on or before January 15th.

On 1 January 2001, Belizean authorities discovered another illegal settlement 1.8 kilometres east of the border in the area of Machiquila, Belize. The next day, Belize invited Guatemalan authorities to participate in the conduct of an on-site verification of the illegal settlement, and informed Guatemala that the 72 hour period for verification would commence at 1500 hours, local time, on 2 January 2001, and that thereafter, an Order to Leave Belize within 72 hours would be issued to the illegal settlers.

Controversy between the Governments, resulting from Guatemala's position that no expulsions may occur prior to verification by the Facilitators and that said expulsions are warranted by, and carried out in accordance with, the November 8th Agreement, caused the Panel of Facilitators, on 5 January 2001, to ask the Governments not to take any unilateral action with respect to the two settlements. They called upon the Government of Guatemala to take positive action to dissuade its citizens from joining or establishing new settlements east of the border.

The Facilitators also invited the parties to an emergency Ministerial meeting in Miami on 16 January 2001, with the Facilitators and a representative of the Secretary General of the OAS, for the purpose of reaching agreement on a specific time table for full implementation of all obligations contained in the November 8th Agreement.

Responding to the Facilitators, on 5 January 2001, the Belize Government announced its decision to suspend the issuance of the Order to Leave Belize, which was to occur at 1500 hours that day, and which would have required the departure of the illegal settlers from Belize Wthin 72 hours. At the same time, Belize confirmed its attendance at the emergency Ministerial Meeting in Miami on January 16th. Belize anticipates that the Miami meeting will establish an effective basis for the implementation of the November 8th Agreement and the prevention of illegal encroachments.