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So what's Belize's official reaction to the statement from the Guatemalans? We asked Belize's man in Guatemala, Ambassador Fred Martinez who told us that after today's report in the Prensa Libre, Guatemalan officialdom was hard pressed to come up with a statement. He also gave us valuable background on the Sapote 2 area where the incident occurred. Martinez explained that a Guatemalan, Roberto Guttierrez has stubbornly refused to move from Belizean territory:

Voice of: H. E. Fred Martinez, Belize Ambassador to Guatemala
"I presume, this is the official reaction to public opinion here in Guatemala, but the important part being, is that Belize has also requested verification from the OAS during the course of this morning. So both countries have requested the OAS to verify, 1). where exactly did the incident take place, and 2). to get an account of the details of what transpired during the incident."

Jules Vasquez
"But their official website says that a patrol raided the home of this individual in the jurisdiction of San Jose Las Flores, and shot a Guatemalan citizen. That is a very serious accusation to be posted on an official website."

H. E. Fred Martinez
"Well Jules, it is a serious accusation, but too, we must also always remember that when incidents occur of this nature, even if inside Belize, initially, the first reaction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala - and obviously this was not drafted, I do believe, by the Minister or his high-ranking people, but by the Comision de Belice, always make reference to the fact that these incidents occur within Guatemalan territory, according to the reports of the people who gave them the report. And that is why we always request verification of the OAS to ascertain, and to prove to them that 1). it did not occur in inside of Guatemalan territory, but it occurred in Belizean jurisdiction. This gentleman, Mr. Roberto Guttierrez, lives at least 30 meters inside of Belize, and he - or even further in - and he had been notice over and over to vacate, since he has been living in that shack. And also since, they've had problems with this gentleman. Just a couple weeks ago, the OAS was requested by Belize to verify an incident, where our forces had gone into that house - into that shack belonging to this gentleman, and had discovered 2 firearms, and confiscated the arms. So I presume that this Gentleman, along with friends that are close by on the other side of the Guatemalan border, in hearing that there is a BDF patrol, reacted towards the patrol.

Jules Vasquez
"If he was inside on Belizean soil, why a). has he not been ejected, or it being the adjacency zone, why hasn't the OAS activate to relocate him?"

H. E. Fred Martinez
"We have already requested the OAS - as a matter of fact - someone from the OAS has met with our Ministry during the course of the month to discuss his relocation, and they have indicated that 1). they were short of funds, but as soon as they get it, they will remove him."

Jules Vasquez
"The Government and the military of Belize are in the unenviable situation of not being able to readily return to this area because it is inflamed with hostility at this time. How will we re-assert our military presence and control in this area?"

H. E. Fred Martinez
"We have to go back. I know that there is a lot of caution about how we do so, but definitely, the BDF High Command will have to come up with its own plans as to how to confront this challenge."

Martinez also told us that a military meeting between high ranking officers of the BDF and the Guatemalan Armed Forces, the GAF, was held today in Flores, Peten to discuss the event and plan the way forward.

As we reported, the BDF was waiting for their Guatemalan counterparts to a do a joint border patrol when the incident occurred at 11:05 on Monday morning.

21 year old Guatemalan Luis Alberto García Pineda was shot in the hand by the BDF.

See the statement here: http://www.minex.gob.gt/noticias/Noticia.aspx?id=1245