Belize & Guatemala Revive Our 13 Agreements

Image by Gringer

BELIZE & GUATEMALA REVIVE: During a recent trip to Guatemala, Belize Prime Minister John Briceno met with Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei Falla. They focused on improving their countries’ strained relations. Because the former president, Jimmy Morales, had declared that Belize was “Guatemalan turf.” So he vigorously pursued Guatemala’s claim on Belize at the International Court of Justice.

But Giammattei now promotes a “bilateral relationship” of “both peoples and governments.” This implies acceptance of Belize as a separate nation. Moreover, the two heads of state have revived old agreements defining this bilateral relationship.

Specifically, they have reactivated the Partial Scope Trade Agreement and the Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission. Back in 2005, the OAS facilitated the Commission as a regional confidence-building measure.

Most importantly, the two leaders committed to implement all of the 13 Agreements made in 2014. The agreements state they “shall not constitute a total or partial waiver of sovereignty over any territory.”

Belize has just opened its borders only to tourists, who must meet requirements such as Covid-19 tests. Yet on the first day, only 5 tourists crossed the border. But Chief Tourism Officer Abil Castaneda expects far more, as tourists realize that Belize has opened up. He says Belize needs 40-50% of pre-Covid arrival numbers for this stage of economic recovery. Arrivals through the international airport alone will get Belize only about 30-35% of those numbers.

As pandemic isolation ends, pray that better relationships begin

When Belize opens its borders to Guatemalans, more of the 13 agreements will kick in. Three agreements on education will let students cross the border daily again. Specifically, about 800 Guatemalan children had been crossing to go to Belize schools near Melchor.

Other agreements about the border concern operating hours, seasonal workers, migration, extradition, and prisoner transfer to home countries. These agreements implicitly affirm the border as it now stands.

Further agreements cover cooperation in sustainable tourism, sustainable resources, environment protection, electrical energy exchange, and recovery and return of stolen items.

Will bilateral cooperation facilitate Guatemala’s takeover of Belize if it wins the ICJ claim? And will we see nation rise against nation at our border? Instead, pray that the more we interact, the more we will see that we are different. Also that we will respect and appreciate our differences as good neighbors. Already we have friendly relations occurring between our evangelical associations. So pray too that God will use us to spread revival in both nations.