Government of Belize protests GAF aggression on the Sarstoon River

By William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 9, 2026

   The Government of Belize has announced that it will lodge a formal protest with the Government of Guatemala regarding an incident on Saturday, November 7, in which two vessels of the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) trespassed into Belizean waters and tried to intimidate a group of Belize Defence Force (BDF) soldiers conducting a routine patrol around Sarstoon Island, by steering toward them until the GAF gunwales bumped the side of the BDF vessel.

   Belize’s government will also report the incident to the Organization of American States (OAS) and other international partners, as Belize pursues a peaceful resolution of the unfounded Guatemalan territorial claim at the International Court of Justice next year. In the interim, both countries are obliged to refrain from any action that may intensify the dispute. 

   Many believe that the GAF vessels sought to provoke an international incident in which Belize could have appeared to be the aggressor, but the BDF patrol refused to allow themselves to be baited into an escalation of hostilities. They maintained their discipline and composure, which has prompted the Government to commend the BDF patrol for their professionalism and restraint.

   The Government of Belize has issued a call on Guatemala to respect Belize’s sovereignty and refrain from further attempts to provoke Belizean forces in the normal course of their duties, as Belize remains committed to the peaceful resolution of the dispute.

   The BDF patrol completed their patrol and returned safely to the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base, which additional BDF and Belize Coast Guard vessels have now reinforced.

   The Government of Belize strongly condemns these acts of aggression and the incursion into Belizean waters, as the mid-channel of the Sarstoon River defines Belize’s boundary under the 1859 Treaty, and has reminded the Guatemalan government that Sarstoon Island lies within Belize’s sovereign territory.