The Guatemala-Belize Border: A Complex History

The Belize–Guatemala border is an almost straight line 266 km (165 mi) long, separating the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala. The border has been disputed by Guatemala, which claims that the treaty is void since Britain failed to comply with economic assistance provisions. The situation was partially resolved in 1991 when Guatemala officially recognised Belize's independence. The border dispute has been quieter since Belize's independence, but in 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America. Guatemala and Belize both stationed troops at the border, and in 2008, the two countries agreed to have simultaneous referendums to send the issue to the International Court of Justice.

The Belize–Guatemala border is an almost straight line 266 km (165 mi) long

The Belize–Guatemala border is a de facto boundary that is almost a straight line, 266 km (165 mi) long, close to the 89th meridian west. The border separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala.

The border is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859, which states:

> Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.

The border has been disputed by Guatemala, which claims that the treaty is void because Britain failed to comply with economic assistance provisions found in Article VII. Guatemala has disputed its land boundary with Belize since its independence in the 19th century. The dispute stems from colonial documents, first between the United Kingdom and Spain, and later between the United Kingdom, on behalf of British Honduras (now Belize), and independent Guatemala.

The border dispute has been quieter since Belize's independence in 1981. Guatemala eventually recognised the independence of Belize in the early 1990s, and in 1991, diplomatic relations were established. However, in 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America, and the dispute remains unresolved.

There is one main highway crossing at Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, Belize, and Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala, where Guatemala Highway CA-13 meets the George Price (Western) Highway, connecting to Belize City and Belmopan. In the extreme southern district of Toledo, there is daily traffic by sea ferry and small speedboats that travel between Punta Gorda (Belize) and Puerto Barrios (Guatemala). Ferries to Guatemala and Honduras are also available from Independence, near Dangriga.

The border is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859

The Belize–Guatemala border is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859. This treaty was signed on 30 April 1859 by Pedro de Aycinena, the Guatemalan foreign minister, and Charles Lennox Wyke, the British chargé d'affaires and plenipotentiary to Guatemala. Article I of the treaty establishes the border between Belize and Guatemala as:

> Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias á Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias á Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.

The border is an almost straight line 266 km (165 mi) long, close to the 89th meridian west, which separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala. The treaty also specified that these borders had been established before 1850, referencing the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, which stated that neither Britain nor the U.S. could extend their influence by occupation, land exchange, colonisation, or building fortifications in Central America.

The Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859 has been controversial. While Britain saw it as a simple boundary agreement, defining the limits of previously held territory, Guatemala held that it was a "disguised cession" of territory, possibly violating the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850. Guatemala argued that the road promised in Article VII was compensation for this cession of territory. Disputes over each government's expected contribution to the road prevented its construction and led to further disagreement over the treaty. An Additional Convention was attempted in 1863 to clarify Article VII, but it lapsed because Guatemala did not ratify it.

Despite the ongoing disputes, the 1859 treaty established the modern-day boundary lines of Belize and was upheld by both parties for some time. In 1931, notes were exchanged between Guatemala and the UK confirming concrete markers implementing parts of the 1859 border lines. However, less than 10 years later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area, arguing that Britain's failure to uphold Article VII voided the treaty.

Guatemala has disputed its land boundary with Belize since its independence in the 19th century

Guatemala has disputed its land boundary with Belize since the 19th century, shortly after it gained independence from Spain in 1821 and from Mexico in 1823. The roots of the dispute, however, go back much further, to the 17th century, when British settlers arrived on the coast of Central America.

The Spanish Crown considered these settlers to be pirates and refused to recognise them, but in 1763, Spain, as part of the Treaty of Paris, gave these "Baymen" the right to cut logwood within a small area that remained under Spanish sovereignty. These rights were extended in 1783 and 1786, when the boundaries of what had become an official British settlement were agreed upon. Despite this, Spain continued to try to dislodge the settlers, with the last attempt occurring in 1798.

In 1821, Central America became independent from Spain and functioned as a federation until 1838, when it splintered into five separate republics, one of which was Guatemala. By this time, the Baymen had pushed the boundaries of their settlement far south of the limits agreed with Spain in 1786. In 1859, Guatemala was persuaded to sign a boundary treaty based on effective occupation, resulting in the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty, which was ratified by both sides. The country became known as the colony of British Honduras in 1862, and later Belize in 1973.

The 1859 treaty included an article that called for the construction of a means of communication from the highlands of Guatemala to the Caribbean coast by both parties. However, due to the ambiguity of the article, the British and Guatemalan governments disagreed on the specifics of the agreement, and an Additional Convention was signed in 1863, which clarified that the British government would pay £50,000 towards the cost of a road. Guatemala was unable to ratify the Convention by the agreed date, and the British government refused to allow an extension, causing the Convention to lapse. Despite this, both sides continued to regard the 1859 treaty as valid and made efforts to demarcate the shared boundaries over the next eighty years.

In 1939, however, the Guatemalan government unilaterally abrogated the treaty, claiming that the United Kingdom was in breach of Article 7. This was followed by a threat of invasion, which led to the establishment of a British military presence in Belize. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute were pursued, with Belizean politicians becoming involved from 1961 onwards, but these ultimately proved futile. Belize became independent in 1981, but the dispute remained unresolved, and the UK continued to keep troops in Belize to protect against Guatemalan invasion.

Guatemala finally recognised the independent state of Belize in 1991, and the British defence guarantee ended. However, Guatemala made clear that while it recognised the independence of Belize, it did not accept its boundaries. In 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America, and both countries stationed troops at the border. In 2008, Guatemala and Belize made a pact to hold simultaneous referendums to send the issue to the International Court of Justice, which passed in both countries by May 2019. As of June 2022, both countries are in the process of settling the dispute at the International Court of Justice.

Guatemala recognised Belize's independence in the early 1990s

The Belize–Guatemala border is a near-straight line 266 km (165 mi) long, close to the 89th meridian west, which separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala. The border is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859.

Despite this treaty, the border between Belize and Guatemala has been disputed for centuries. Guatemala has claimed, in whole or in part, the territory of Belize since independence. In 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America. Guatemala and Belize both stationed troops at the border, with a one-kilometre "adjacency zone" drawn on either side of the 1859 treaty borders.

In 2008, Guatemala and Belize made a pact to have simultaneous referendums for their voters to send the issue to the International Court of Justice. The referendums passed in both countries by May 2019. As of June 2022, both countries are now settling the dispute at the International Court of Justice, with both countries confirmed to have submitted their initial briefs to the organisation.

Guatemala recognised Belize's independence in 1991 and diplomatic relations were established. This recognition came about two decades after Belize became independent in 1981. Guatemala's recognition of Belize's independence was a significant development in the ongoing territorial dispute between the two Central American nations, which is considered one of the oldest in the Americas.

The roots of Guatemala's claim on Belize date back to the 17th century. During the late 1600s and throughout the 1700s, Britain and Spain signed several treaties regarding territories in the Americas. Both nations agreed that the territory of modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, although British settlers could use the land in specific areas and for specific purposes. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed it inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory.

In 1859, Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty regarding the disputed area. The treaty stated that Guatemala would recognise 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 road was never built.

In the decades that followed, tensions flared up intermittently between Guatemala and British Honduras (as Belize was then known). In 1931, a series of notes were exchanged between Guatemala and the UK, confirming concrete markers implementing part of the 1859 border lines. Less than 10 years later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area, arguing that the broken promise of the road rendered the 1859 treaty void. Britain stationed troops in British Honduras to secure the region against Guatemalan invasion, and many negotiations took place over the following decades to try to resolve the dispute.

In the late 1970s, Belize took its case for self-determination to the international community, appealing to the United Nations (UN) and joining the Nonaligned Movement. Belize became independent on 21 September 1981, with a British defence guarantee, and was admitted to the UN. The British military presence was withdrawn in 1994, and border security became the sole responsibility of the Belize Defence Force, which had been created in 1978.

By the early 1990s, Guatemala had formally recognised Belize as an independent state, and Belize had joined the Organization of American States (OAS). However, the territorial dispute heated up again in the late 1990s. In 2002, an OAS-assisted facilitation process formally proposed a solution, but Guatemala refused to accept it. In 2005, the two countries agreed that if a negotiated settlement proved impossible, the dispute could be settled by an international legal entity.

Guatemala's recognition of Belize's independence in the early 1990s was a significant step towards resolving the longstanding territorial dispute between the two nations. However, it is important to note that Guatemala continued to dispute Belize's boundaries, and tensions flared up again in the late 1990s. The two countries have since agreed to submit their case to the International Court of Justice, and the dispute remains unresolved as of 2022.

There is one main highway crossing of the border, at Benque Viejo del Carmen in Belize and Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala

The Belize–Guatemala border is a near-straight line of 266 km (165 mi) that separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala. The border is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859, which states:

> Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.

The border has been disputed by Guatemala, which claims that the treaty is void as Britain failed to comply with economic assistance provisions found in Article VII. However, the situation was partially resolved in 1991 when Guatemala officially recognised Belize's independence and diplomatic relations were established.

There is one main highway crossing at this border, connecting Benque Viejo del Carmen in the Cayo District of Belize and Melchor de Mencos in the Peten region of Guatemala. Here, Guatemala Highway CA-13 meets the George Price (Western) Highway, which connects to Belize City and Belmopan. This highway crossing is the only land border between the two countries.

The village of Arenal, around 4 km south of the border, has homes on both sides of the border and a football field directly on the border. From the Guatemalan side, there is a footbridge to a road into Melchor de Mencos, while the Belize side has a road connecting to Benque Viejo.

The main Guatemala-Belize border crossing is at Melchor de Mencos, which can be travelled to by shuttle or public transport. Melchor de Mencos is the closest town to the border on the Guatemalan side. Many people travel the route from Flores, Guatemala to San Ignacio, Belize, often paired with visits to the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala and the ATM Caves in Belize.

To cross the border, it is recommended to have a passport with at least six months of validity and a minimum of two blank pages. It is also a good idea to have pre-booked accommodation in Belize, as visitors are required to report their first night's accommodation upon entry.

Frequently asked questions