At this hour Belize's Foreign Minister and The Belizean Ambassador to Guatemala are in Antigua Guatemala at the Inaugural Session of the 43rd General Assembly of the OAS. But they're on what you might call a weak wicket. That's because they've been making the rounds trying to get support for the 2014 Referendum and to maintain the confidence building measures, but today, they had some explaining to do. That's because Belizean armed Forces shot another Guatemalan in the Chiquibul. It happened yesterday when the armed forced encountered a Guatemalan reportedly two miles within Belize. We don't know what happened events led to it, but the event – while always controversial, comes at a particularly bad time. Our 7news team is in Antigua Guatemala and today we spoke to the Foreign Minister about the event and the fallout:…
Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I was briefed on it yesterday when I left. The most recent information I have is that the victim has been taken to the hospital in Belmopan, the injury that he sustained was to his abdomen and that he's getting medical treatment. I am told that he had to sleep in the bush last night but the soldiers took him by foot out of the jungle and he was transported to the hospital where he is now receiving treatment."
Jules Vasquez
"Much has been said in previous meetings that we would change the rules of engagement on the border - apparently it's easy to say it but it's hard to effect it on the real time on the ground and rugged landscape."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"We have informed our CARICOM collegues of the development with respect to that and we have informed all the people with whom we have had bi-lateral meetings. We have informed the Guatemalans, Canadians and I think the European with whom we have had meetings thus far we have told them about it, we have kept them aprise of it."
Jules Vasquez
"But it's the failure on Belize's part to not implement those updated rules of engagement where we shouldn't shoot people in areas that may kill them."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"We don't pronounce on these matters unless and until we get all the information from the BDF, we don't know what the circumstances are."
So, to repeat, after being carried by foot out of the Chiquibul Forest, the Guatemalan civilian is in the Belmopan Hospital tonight – reportedly in a critical condition. He was shot in Belizean territory – and we'll keep following the story to find out under what circumstances.
Email
Print