And keeping it on territorial issues, on Friday we told you about Belizean Fisherman Iginio Canto who is currently being held in a Guatemalan Prison. Canto was arrested with two other Guatemalans about two weeks ago for smuggling large quantities of out of season lobster into Guatemala.
On Wednesday his brother who lives in Corozal got a call from inmates in Puerto Barrios. The inmates demanded $5000 from him to ensure Canto's safety. This is apart from the fine they have to pay the Guatemalan authorities. For the family, it's very scary stuff, and for Belizeans it's very disturbing, since there is some lack of clarity about whose waters the fishermen were captured in.
But, surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly), today Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington told us he knew nothing about it.
Sahar Vasquez, reporter
"He is detained in Guatemala right now. Are you aware of this? Is the Ministry doing anything to help him?"
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Well, I am just hearing about this. I have never heard of it."
Sahar Vasquez
"So your ministry does not have any information on him?"
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Well, whenever cases like this arise they will be picked up by the Guatemalan authorities and then they get in touch with the embassy in Guatemala and the people in our Embassy will see what they can do to assist them in these circumstances. You must understand us almost on a daily basis we detain people from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras who come here illegally doing different things so this is not abnormal. Things like this happen naturally and when those things happen those people are allowed to contact representatives to see what kind of assistance can be given to them."
He has not been sentenced or charged - and is being held pending the payment of a fine for 16 pounds of whole lobster, 20 pounds of lobster tails, and 80 pounds of queen conch.
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