This time it was the Belize Territorial Volunteers, and its sister organization, the Belize People's Front, led by Nancy Marin Juan. They took a trip down the Sarstoon to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which was signed on April 30, 1859. That's the boundary treaty that's at the very heart of the centuries-old territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala. It set the Sarstoon as Belize's southern boundary and the activists went to the river to make a symbolic declaration of patriotism by flying the Belize flag on Sarstoon Island.

The BTV reports that they placed the flag on island, and as soon as they left, the Guatemala military, which was watching their movements very closely, went and removed it. They promptly handed it back to the Belizean civilians who left without incident.

A ministry of National Security release says the BDF contingent stationed at the Sarstoon Forward Operating base decided that it was best that they escort the Belizeans around the island, to avoid any confrontation with the Guat. military. The BDF also attempted to discourage the group from planting the flag on the island, but after they had escorted the activists around the island, they hurriedly went back to the island and planted the flag anyway.

The National Security Ministry's press release says, quote, "The Ministry notes that on occasions where Guatemalans would place Guatemalan flags on the Sarstoon Island, the Belizean Patrol removed them as well." End quote.