Belize: Territory Or Not?

Belize is not a territory of the USA. Belize is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America, which achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. While Belize has strong ties to the US and is home to the largest Belizean community outside of Belize, it is a separate nation with its own government, economy, and culture.

Belize's independence from the UK

Belize's road to independence from the UK followed a similar trajectory to other British colonies in the Caribbean until the 1960s, when it was complicated by a claim on Belize by Guatemala and firm opposition by the United Democratic Party (UDP), which would later become the country's government.

In 1975, after 14 years of negotiations, Guatemala demanded the cession of a large area of Belizean territory as the price for withdrawing its claim. The Belizean government, under the stewardship of Premier George Price, leader of the People's United Party (PUP), decided to wage a campaign for independence on the international front, to gain support for its claim to full independence with its territory intact.

This kicked off six years of intensive diplomatic activity, in what became known as "the internationalization effort", which was spearheaded by two young Belize attorneys, Said Musa and Assad Shoman. Immediate support was received from the countries of the Caribbean Community and the British Commonwealth of Nations. In 1975, the first United Nations resolution on Belize was passed by the General Assembly by a vote of 110 in favour, 9 against, and 16 abstentions.

In 1976, Belize received support from General Omar Torrijos, who was in Sri Lanka lobbying for the return of the Panama Canal to Panama. Although Panama had previously committed to supporting Guatemala's claim, Torrijos became convinced of the justice of Belize's struggle for independence, and at the next UN General Assembly session, Panama voted in favour of the Belizean resolution. Torrijos became a formidable campaigner for Belize in Latin America and was instrumental in securing the support of many other countries.

By November 1980, international support for Belize was virtually unanimous. A UN resolution called for independence for Belize without strings attached and with security by the end of 1981. The last bulwark of Guatemalan support, the Organization of American States, also endorsed the UN resolution.

Belize became an independent state on 21 September 1981, with all its territory and full sovereignty, and with British troops stationed there to defend against any possible attack from Guatemala. The British troops remained for 13 years, only leaving in 1994, three years after Guatemala recognised Belize as an independent state and signed a non-aggression pact.

US-Belize relations

Belize is not a territory of the USA. The United States established diplomatic relations with Belize in 1981, following the country's independence from Britain. The US and Belize have traditionally maintained close and cordial relations. The US is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds. Belize is committed to supporting US regional priorities, including security, prosperity, governance, democracy, human rights, migration management, and climate change.

The US and Belize work together to advance regional stability through strengthening border security, addressing transnational crime, and managing the flow of irregular migrants to the US through Belize. Belize faces similar challenges to the rest of Central America, including criminal organizations, insecurity, poverty, gang violence, and the increasing effects of climate change.

The US provides various forms of assistance to Belize, including:

• Fighting narcotics, human trafficking, and other types of illicit trafficking, alongside transnational organized crime.
• Strengthening citizen security and improving the Belizean government's capacity to confront criminal organizations.
• Professionalizing the Belizean police force, strengthening the justice sector, and improving border security.
• Fortifying civil society, improving health security and government service delivery, and building capacity within civil society and the government civil service.
• Providing military assistance, including training, humanitarian and medical assistance, and constructing and renovating schools.
• Promoting conservation and climate adaptation efforts, including delivering emergency humanitarian aid after Hurricane Lisa in 2022.

The US and Belize also have a bilateral economic relationship, with trade in goods totalling $644.09 million in 2022. The US is the leading source of investment funds for Belize, particularly in the tourism, agriculture, agroforestry, and energy sectors. Additionally, Belize is home to the largest Belizean community outside of Belize, estimated at around 160,000 people.

US economic assistance to Belize

Belize is not a territory of the USA. However, the United States is Belize's principal trading partner and a major source of investment funds. The US is also home to the largest Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be 70,000-160,000 strong.

The US is the largest provider of economic assistance to Belize, contributing $2.5 million in various bilateral economic and military aid. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $110 million worth of development assistance to Belize over a 13-year period. Belize still benefits from USAID regional programs.

• Fighting illicit activities and strengthening security: The US works closely with the Belizean government to combat illicit narcotics trafficking and other types of illicit trafficking. Both governments also seek to control the flow of illegal migrants to the US through Belize.
• Professionalizing the police force and strengthening the justice sector: US programs assist Belize in professionalizing its police force and strengthening its justice sector.
• Improving border security: US initiatives help enhance Belize's capacity to secure its borders and disrupt criminal organizations.
• Fortifying civil society and improving governance: US good governance programs focus on strengthening civil society, improving health security and government service delivery, and building capacity within civil society and the government civil service.
• Military assistance: The Belize Defense Force receives military assistance from the US, including training, humanitarian and medical assistance programs, and the construction and renovation of schools. The US military played a crucial role in establishing the Belize Coast Guard and continues to support its capacity-building efforts.
• Supporting innovation and access to justice: Through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US collaborates with UN agencies and the Belizean government to promote innovative solutions. These solutions aim to strengthen access to justice, uphold human rights, and enhance the use of technology in judicial processes.
• Enhancing civil society and governance: The US Embassy-managed Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) supports six innovative projects aimed at enhancing Belize's civil society and governance.
• Public health and education: The Peace Corps operates public health and education programs in Belize.
• Promoting entrepreneurship and social inclusion: US Embassy Public Affairs programming promotes entrepreneurship, media literacy, and social and economic inclusion.
• Climate change resilience: Through the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact development process, the US and Belize collaborate to advance economic prosperity and pursue entrepreneurial paths to climate change resilience.
• Conservation and climate adaptation: The US strongly supports conservation efforts and provides assistance to Belizean communities affected by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Lisa in 2022.
• Bilateral economic relations: The US is the leading trading partner for Belize, with trade in goods totalling $644.09 million in 2022. US companies invest in various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, agroforestry, and energy.

In summary, the US provides extensive economic assistance to Belize through a range of programs and initiatives that strengthen security, governance, civil society, and economic development, while also addressing transnational challenges such as illicit trafficking and climate change.

Belize's international relations

Belize is not a territory of the USA. Belize is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America, and it achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. Belize has a population of 397,483 (as of 2022) and an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi). It is bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and Honduras to the southeast. Belize has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages, and it is the only Central American country where English is the official language.

Belize maintains diplomatic relations with several countries and has 14 embassies to foreign countries, one consulate, and three missions to international organizations. The country became a member of the Organization of American States in 1990 and the Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Belize has sought to strengthen its potential for economic and political development by building closer ties with Spanish-speaking countries in Central America while maintaining its historical ties with English-speaking Caribbean states.

Belize and the United States have traditionally maintained close and cordial relations. The United States established diplomatic relations with Belize in 1981 following its independence from Britain, and it is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds. The United States works closely with the Belizean government to address issues such as narcotics trafficking, transnational crime, and border security. Belize is also a member of several international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the International Maritime Organization.

Belize's principal external concern has been the dispute involving the Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. This dispute has persisted despite Guatemala recognizing Belize's independence in 1991, and it remains unresolved. Belize also has diplomatic relations with other Central American countries, including Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Belize's territorial dispute with Guatemala

Belize is not a territory of the USA. It is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America, bordering Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and sharing a water boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Belize gained independence from the UK in 1981 and is a member of the Commonwealth, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state.

Belize has been in a territorial dispute with Guatemala, its neighbour to the west and south, since the late 1600s. The dispute centres around several treaties signed between Britain and Spain in the 1700s, which agreed that the territory of modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, although British settlers could use the land for specific purposes. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed that it had inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory.

In 1859, Britain and Guatemala negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which recognised British sovereignty over the region and formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. The treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road, although this never came to fruition. Guatemala later used the broken promise of the road as justification for the treaty to be void.

Throughout the 20th century, tensions flared up intermittently between Guatemala and British Honduras (as Belize was then known). In 1931, an exchange of notes between the UK and Guatemala reaffirmed the borders from the 1859 treaty, and both governments constructed concrete monument markers for the border. However, less than 10 years later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area.

In 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America, and claimed that it was owed more than half of Belize's land mass, from the Sibun River south. This claim amounts to roughly 53% of the country and includes significant portions of four districts: Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo.

In 2008, Belize and Guatemala agreed to hold simultaneous referendums for their voters to decide whether to send the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The referendums passed in both countries by May 2019, and as of June 2022, both countries are now settling the dispute at the ICJ. The court is not expected to rule until 2025 at the earliest.

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