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Foreign Minister Speaks on Kaibiles Coming Over To Belize Side
posted (January 19, 2018)
Last night, we showed you that leaked video surveillance footage from the Benque Viejo Border where 3 Guatemalan soldiers waltzed into the Belize Immigration Hall.

As we told you, those with experience in border relations see it a major disrespect, but these soldiers came over to the Belizean side on Tuesday night at around 8:30. They were there to inquire about an incident that had occurred earlier in the day. One of the soldiers, a Kaibil, spoke to the on-duty immigration officer, but he was directed to take his inquiries to the OAS Office.

Government sources tell us that they were on Belizean territory for about 10 minutes or so after started going around.

So, we sought Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington for his perspective on the incident. He told us today that it was resolved without incident, and he would not advise Belizean law enforcement to do the same thing on the Guatemalan side. He explained why:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"The report which we got from both the police and the immigration simply states that 3 of them came to the Immigration post at the western border and inquired about the incident that had occurred, I think, the day before with journalist. They were directed to go and make their inquiries at the OAS office, and they left. There is no reporting that they were in any way menacing or belligerent. They just came in, and one of them identified himself as a captain in the Guatemalan military, asked about the incident and was directed to the OAS Office, and they left. There was no evidence of any weapon on any of them. That is essentially the report that we got."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"So, from your perspective, much ado about nothing."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I would want to think so."

Daniel Ortiz
"Let's say, for example, if the shoe were on the other foot, would that have been appropriate? Or would it be in appropriate?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"For our military to have gone across?"

Daniel Ortiz
"Yes, to go across, and to question..."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I don't know if that happens in the normal course of business between our military, and their military, or our military and their immigration personnel. I don't think that that is the normal type of behavior. What the report suggests here is that when the Guatemalan captain asked about the incident, the response given was that really, matters of this type, if you want to find any information, you can go to the - it's really dealt with by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I think that was said, and they also referred the person to the OAS, and I think that that is appropriate. You should not be asking our police personnel what transpired. If they thought something untoward occurred, they should deal with at the Foreign Ministry level. I think that is the most appropriate way."

Daniel Ortiz
"So, from your perspective Belizean officers ought not to behave in a similar fashion."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I wouldn't advise it. If they have an incident which they think could deteriorate a situation that none of us would want to have to deal with, I think the proper thing to do is to report it to the [proper] channel. Of course, if people are coming into the country unlawfully, they have an obligation and a duty to deal with that."

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