Belize-Guatemala Border Dispute

Guatemala has a long-standing territorial claim over Belize, its neighbour in Central America. The dispute is one of the oldest in the Americas, dating back to the 1600s when Britain and Spain signed treaties regarding territories in the Americas. While the territory of modern-day Belize was agreed to be under Spanish sovereignty, British settlers were allowed to use the land. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed it had inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory. In 1859, Guatemala signed an agreement to respect Belizean sovereignty and established borders between the two countries. However, some Guatemalans viewed this as losing part of their territory, and tensions have flared up intermittently ever since. Guatemala has periodically massed troops on the border and there have been military clashes, with a Guatemalan army of 3,000 amassing on the border in 2016. The dispute has led to a one-kilometre adjacency zone on either side of the border, where neither country is allowed to station military forces. In 2019, Belize and Guatemala agreed to referendums on sending the issue to the International Court of Justice, which both countries have now done.

Guatemala's claim stems from a pre-independence convention

Guatemala's claim to Belizean territory stems from a pre-independence convention in 1786, which places a vague historic boundary—the Sibun River—north of the current border. This convention was signed between Britain and Spain, agreeing that modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, although British settlers could use the land for specific purposes.

In the 1800s, the Spanish Empire was losing its grip on Central America. Guatemala, along with other Central American states, declared independence without resistance and formed the Federal Republic of Central America. The new nations claimed they had inherited Spain's sovereign rights in the area. Guatemala's claims were twofold: they either claimed all of the Bay of Honduras, or they shared claims with Mexico, splitting the land in half along the Sibun River.

In 1859, Guatemala recognised Britain's sovereignty over the area in the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. However, Guatemala later renewed its claims on the area, arguing that Britain had failed to uphold the treaty by not building a mutually beneficial road. Since independence, Guatemala has claimed, in whole or in part, the territory of Belize.

Guatemala recognised Belize's sovereignty in 1859

The roots of the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala go back to the 17th century when British settlers came to Central America to cut logwood. The Spanish Crown considered these settlers to be pirates and initially did not protect them. In 1763, Spain gave these settlers, known as "Baymen", the right to cut logwood within a small area that remained under Spanish sovereignty. Over time, the Baymen pushed the boundaries of their settlement further south, beyond the limits agreed upon with Spain.

In 1859, Britain and Guatemala signed the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which recognised British sovereignty over Belize and established its boundaries. This treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road, but this road was never constructed. Despite this, both parties continued to uphold the treaty until the early 20th century when Guatemala renewed its claims on the area. Guatemala argued that the broken promise of the road nullified the treaty.

Throughout the 20th century, tensions flared up intermittently between Guatemala and British Honduras, with both sides negotiating and occasionally stationing troops at the border. Belize gained independence in 1981, and Guatemala recognised its independence in the early 1990s. However, Guatemala continued to dispute the territory, arguing that it had inherited claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America.

In recent years, both countries have agreed to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, and referendums held in each country showed support for this decision. The Court is expected to rule on the matter by 2025 at the earliest.

Guatemala declared the 1859 treaty invalid in 1940

In 1931, Guatemala and the UK exchanged a series of notes confirming concrete markers implementing part of the 1859 border lines, showing that the treaty was initially being upheld by both parties. However, less than a decade later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area, arguing that the broken promise of the road construction rendered the 1859 treaty invalid.

In 1939, Guatemala's Foreign Ministry published a supplementary section to 'The White Book', arguing that the 1859 treaty had lapsed. After the overthrow of General Ubico in 1944, Guatemala adopted a new constitution, declaring British Honduras (Belize) part of Guatemala and stating that its integration was a national interest. In 1946, Guatemala officially tried to declare the treaty null and void, but Britain suggested going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the dispute, which Guatemala rejected.

The Belize-Guatemala dispute is one of the oldest in the Americas

The roots of the conflict lie in the competition between European colonial powers for territory and resources in the Americas. In the 17th century, British settlers, known as "Baymen", came to the coasts of Central America to cut logwood, a profitable dyewood. The Spanish Crown considered these settlers mere pirates and initially refused to recognise their claims to the territory.

In 1763, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Spain reluctantly granted the Baymen limited rights to cut logwood within a small area that remained under Spanish sovereignty. These rights were extended by subsequent treaties in 1783 and 1786, which also established the boundaries of what became an official British settlement. Despite these agreements, Spain continued to try to dislodge the settlers, with the last attempt occurring in 1798. Even after the collapse of the Spanish Empire in Central America and Mexico in 1821, Britain continued to regard Spain as the sovereign power in the region.

In 1821, Guatemala gained independence from Spain, and in 1823, it gained independence from Mexico. Central America functioned as a federation until 1838 when it splintered into five separate republics, including Guatemala. By this time, the Baymen had pushed the boundaries of their settlement far beyond the limits agreed upon with Spain. Britain sought to secure its claims in the region and, in 1859, signed the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty with Guatemala, which established the boundaries of the colony of British Honduras (renamed Belize in 1973).

However, the dispute was far from over. Guatemala periodically renewed its claims to the territory, citing various justifications, including inheritance from the Spanish Empire and non-compliance with the terms of the 1859 treaty. Tensions flared up intermittently throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with both sides stationing troops along the border and engaging in negotiations to resolve the dispute.

In 1981, Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom, but the dispute with Guatemala remained unresolved. Guatemala recognised Belize's independence in the early 1990s but continued to assert its claims to Belizean territory. In recent years, there have been efforts to resolve the conflict through the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with both countries agreeing to hold referendums on sending the issue to the ICJ. While Guatemala held its referendum in 2018 with a majority voting in favour of ICJ involvement, Belize's referendum faced legal challenges and was delayed until 2019, when a majority ultimately voted to seek a resolution through the ICJ.

Despite these efforts, the conflict continues to simmer, with both countries maintaining a military presence along their shared border and occasional clashes and incidents occurring. The dispute has significant implications for the geopolitical situation in the region and has hindered Belize's full independence and development. It remains to be seen whether the ICJ will be able to bring a definitive end to this centuries-old dispute.

Guatemala's claim on Belize is considered a joke by some

In 1859, Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which established the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. This treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road, which was never constructed. Less than a decade later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area, arguing that the unbuilt road nullified the treaty. Throughout the 20th century, tensions flared intermittently between the two countries, with Guatemala periodically massing troops on the border and threatening invasion.

In 1946, Guatemala officially tried to declare the 1859 treaty null and void, but Britain suggested taking the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which Guatemala rejected. In 1976, Guatemala's "string of victories over leftist guerrillas" led some in the government to suggest taking over Belize, but these plans were halted by an earthquake that struck Guatemala's capital. In 1981, Belize finally declared official independence from the United Kingdom, a process delayed by the persistent threat posed by Guatemala.

While Guatemala has acknowledged Belize's independence, the peace remains tentative, and several incidents on the border have nearly escalated into full-blown conflict. In 2016, a 13-year-old Guatemalan boy was shot by a Belizean soldier on the border, leading the Guatemalan army to amass 3,000 more soldiers. In 2019, the Belize Coast Guard was prevented from patrolling the Sarstoon River, which runs between the two countries, by Guatemalan navy gunboats.

The unresolved dispute has led to a simmering political conflict, with some Guatemalans referring to Belize as their 23rd state. The situation is particularly tense due to the power imbalance between the two countries, with Guatemala being the regional giant with a population of 18 million, while Belize is Central America's least populous country with only about half a million people.

The cultural differences between the two countries also highlight the absurdity of Guatemala's claim. Belize, with its British colonial history, is more closely allied with the Caribbean, and English is the official language, spoken by 62.9% of the population. In contrast, Guatemala, a former Spanish colony, has Spanish as its official language, spoken by 93% of its population.

The dispute has significant implications for the geopolitical situation in the region, and only a lasting solution through negotiations or an ICJ ruling can resolve the conflict. However, even with a legal resolution, tensions could still arise if politicians on either side decide to make it an issue for voters, given the rise of populist nationalist candidates globally.

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