Today, we also got an opportunity to speak with the CEO in the Ministry of National Security. We asked him if the BDF patrol stationed at the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base could verify if the group entered Belizean territorial waters. Here's what he had to say:
George Lovell - CEO, Ministry of National Security
"I was made to understand that on Saturday there was such a patrol that went out there. I was in dialogue with the commander of Belize Defence Force this morning and he reported that on Saturday around 4pm or so, there was in fact a vessel out there. It was raining very hard and it was difficult for them to really identify if it was just the normal Guatemalans who were out there on a day to day basis versus these ones who went out there in my understanding to show their sovereignty of the area."
Daniel Ortiz
"Did the BDF in any way try to stop them or to question them as is the norm or has been the norm in the past where the Guatemalans do that to the Belizeans?"
George Lovell - CEO, Ministry of National Security
"The troops from my understanding did not do anything of that sort. They observed and the report that I received this morning is that it was difficult for them at the time to say if it was in fact the routine sort of activities in the area versus this specific incident that you are referring to."
In related news out of Guatemala, business owners from Melchor De Menchos continue to take a hit commercially because Belizeans are not going across the border to buy from them as they once did. As we've reported, ever since Belizeans heard the Guatemalan President saying that he would increase troops along the border, they started an unofficial boycott of Melchor. That's been going on for almost 3 months now.
Government sources tell us that the Melchor businessmen have been trying to intercede with the Belizean authorities, hoping that they will encourage a return to normal traffic of Belizeans.
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