Three Nations: One Border

Guatemala borders Belize and Mexico, and has a maritime border with Honduras in the Caribbean Sea. Belize borders Guatemala to the west and south, and Mexico to the north. The United States does not share a border with Guatemala or Belize, but it does have a border with Mexico.

The Belize-Guatemala border is 165 miles long

Guatemala borders Belize and Mexico, and Mexico borders the United States. Therefore, Guatemala is separated from the United States by the country of Mexico.

The Belize-Guatemala border is 165 miles (266 km) long and is defined in Article I of the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty of 1859. The border separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala's and runs close to the 89th meridian west.

The border between Belize and Guatemala 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. However, the situation was partially resolved in 1991 when Guatemala officially recognised Belize's independence and diplomatic relations were established.

The border between the two countries is almost a straight line and runs from the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, up to Gracias a Dios Falls. From there, it turns right and continues in a direct line to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize, and then runs due north until it reaches the Mexican frontier.

There is one main highway crossing at this border, connecting Benque Viejo del Carmen in Belize to Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala. About four kilometres south of this crossing is the village of Arenal, which sits on both sides of the border and even has a football field directly on the border.

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

During the late 1600s and throughout the 1700s, Britain and Spain signed several treaties regarding territories in the Americas. Both nations agreed that what is now Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, although British settlers could use the land for specific purposes and in specific areas. The area was never fully under British or Spanish rule at this time, and British settlers continually expanded beyond the boundaries set by the treaties.

When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala said that it had inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory. Since its independence, Guatemala has claimed, in whole or in part, the territory of Belize. Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty in 1859, which 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 was never built. Guatemala argued that this voided the treaty, and in 1884, it cast doubt on Britain's compliance with the treaty. In 1939, Guatemala unilaterally abrogated the treaty, arguing that Britain was in breach of Article 7, and threatened to invade. A British military presence was established in response, and diplomatic efforts to find a solution were pursued.

Despite these efforts, the dispute remained unresolved when Belize gained independence in 1981. Guatemala recognised Belize's independence in the early 1990s but made clear that 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, arguing that it was owed more than half of Belize's land mass, from the Sibun River south.

In 2008, Guatemala and Belize made a pact to have simultaneous referendums to send the issue to the International Court of Justice. The referendums passed in both countries by May 2019, and as of June 2022, both countries are now settling the dispute at the International Court of Justice.

The Belize-Guatemala border has been recognised by the Organisation of American States

The Belize-Guatemala border has been a source of tension and dispute between the two Central American nations for many years. The border, which is defined in Article I of the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty of 1859, is an almost straight line 266 km (165 mi) long, separating the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala's. Despite the treaty, Guatemala has disputed its land boundary with Belize since its independence in the 19th century. The dispute stems from colonial-era treaties between the United Kingdom and Spain, and later between the United Kingdom, representing British Honduras (now Belize), and independent Guatemala.

The de facto boundary, as outlined in the 1859 Convention and reaffirmed by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2000, follows the Sarstoon River and then a series of straight lines to the tripoint with Mexico. However, Guatemala has challenged this border, claiming that the 1859 treaty is void due to Britain's failure to comply with economic assistance provisions. Guatemala's claim to Belizean territory is based on a pre-independence 1786 Convention, which places a vague historic boundary in the Sibun River, located north of the current border.

Despite the ongoing dispute, there have been efforts to improve relations and resolve the issue. In 1991, Guatemala officially recognised Belize's independence, and diplomatic relations were established. Additionally, in 2008, both countries agreed to hold simultaneous referendums to send the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final ruling. The referendums passed in both countries, and as of 2019, both Belize and Guatemala have submitted their initial briefs to the ICJ.

The Belize-Guatemala border situation is a complex and protracted issue with deep historical roots. The recognition of the border by the Organisation of American States in 2000 was a significant development, but the matter was ultimately taken to the International Court of Justice for a definitive resolution.

Guatemala borders Mexico, with immigration and trade taking place across the border

Guatemala shares its border with Mexico, with both countries establishing diplomatic relations in 1848. The 871-kilometre-long international border runs between north and west Guatemala and the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas. The border includes stretches of the Usumacinta River, the Salinas River, and the Suchiate River.

Immigration

Guatemala and Mexico have a history of immigration between them. In 1954, reformist Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz was ousted in a US-backed coup d'état. Árbenz and his family were granted asylum in Mexico, where he died in 1971. During Guatemala's civil war from 1960 to 1996, Mexico became home to more than 45,000 Guatemalan refugees and asylum seekers, most of them of indigenous descent.

In recent years, thousands of Guatemalan migrants continue to enter Mexico, with many transiting through the country on their way to the United States. In 2018, several thousand Guatemalans formed part of the Central American migrant caravans, travelling through Mexico to the northern city of Tijuana to request asylum in the United States. In 2018-2019, Guatemalans requesting asylum in Mexico increased by 224%.

In 2020, the Mexican Government initiated a program called Sembrando Vida, where the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation provides US$250 to 4,750 Guatemalan farmers for a maximum period of eight months, along with agricultural inputs and technical advice.

Trade

Guatemala and Mexico have signed a free trade agreement, with trade between the two countries totalling US$2.8 billion in 2023. Guatemala's main exports to Mexico include sugar cane, palm oil, clothing articles, natural rubber, seeds, seafood, and chemical-based products. Mexico's main exports to Guatemala include electrical wires and cables, steel-based products, motor vehicles, chemical-based products, and fruits. Several Mexican multinational companies, such as América Móvil, Banco Azteca, and Cemex, operate in Guatemala.

Guatemala's border with Mexico features in the 1882 boundary treaty

Guatemala's border with Mexico was the subject of a territorial dispute between the two countries for nearly 60 years following Guatemalan independence. In 1881, problems arose when President Justo Rufino Barrios claimed lands in Soconusco and Chiapas. The initial position of the Mexican government was not to accept discussion about their rights in that region. However, in 1882, talks began to resolve the problem between Matías Romero and Justo Rufino. They decided to go to arbitration in the US.

The preliminary agreement was signed in New York City on 12 August 1882, and it stated that Guatemala would dispense with its argument about its rights to the territory of Chiapas and Soconusco. The final boundary treaty was signed in Mexico City on 27 September 1882. The first article provides that:

> The Republic of Guatemala forever renounces rights that judges have on the territory of the State of Chiapas and Soconusco your district, and therefore considers the territory as part of the United Mexican States.

As for the delineation of the border itself, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to use straight lines between key points known and accepted by both countries. The measurement and demarcation work was completed in 1899.

The Guatemala–Mexico boundary extends for 981 km (541 mi according to another source) and follows a series of geodesic lines, parallels of latitude, and rivers. The two countries do not dispute the boundary, and a joint commission regularly inspects border areas.

Frequently asked questions