In other news, yesterday we told you about the Guatemalan gunboat that was discovered deep in Belizean waters. The Coast Guard escorted them out of the territorial waters without incident, but what happens now? Will there be more incursions? What will deter them from returning?
Well, PM Briceno explained that, as usual, the government has to exercise their diplomatic means. That doesn't translate to more than a sternly written diplomatic note, but there are not many other options - since a military confrontation will always end badly for Belize.
And for those who disagree with the government's methods, the PM says if you have a better idea, let them know. But he told us today that they take every incursion seriously.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We take any incident serious. Anytime the GAF, or the Guatemalan Armed Forces would enter our borders, sometimes they do it innocently, they don't realize they're in it, other times they do but whenever that happens we take it seriously and we would go and confront them and inform them that they're in Belizean waters. In most instances they would leave without any incidents, sometimes they would argue, but they leave and that's important for us, for them to be able to understand that we are monitoring them, we are watching what they're doing and at the same time, I think pretty much in every instance, we write to the OAS and copy it to them, to the Guatemalan government to point out that they have once again been infringing in our territory."
Reporter:
"What do you tell Belizeans who say we're being too passive in these situations?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
[pause] "I would be kind, I'll be nice. What do they expect to do? Shoot them out of the water? I mean, there are 15, 20,000 of them, obviously we need to be able to be firm but diplomatic, ensuring that they understand that they're in our waters and that we will not allow them to come into our waters. And then use our diplomatic channels and as much as we want to do more, what else can we do? And whatever citizen would say that then I want to hear that advice, what would they do?"
Courtney Menzies:
"Will you acknowledge that there is a lack of respect by the Guatemala Armed Forces, they were all the way in our waters, they weren't near the border."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I will repeat again, whenever that happens, we go and tell them that they're in our waters and they need to leave and they leave, they don't put up a fight, and they leave."
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