Opposition Leader Condemns GAF’s Actions on Sarstoon

The Leader of the Opposition has come out swinging at the Briceño administration over Thursday’s encounter with the Guatemalan Armed Forces on Sarstoon River. As we reported, two vessels carrying members of the GAF approached the three Belize Defense Forces vessels that were taking a tour of the island with members of the media. They stated that the vessels were in Guatemala’s territory and demanded that the purpose of our presence be made known. The Guatemalan vessels then followed the tour along the southern channel and into the northern channel of Sarstoon Island. Brigadier General Azariel Loria, the Commander of the Belize Defense Force, was among those present on the trip. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, the Leader of the Opposition, has since issued a statement condemning the actions of the Guatemalan Armed Forces and blaming the Briceño administration for their behavior. Here is what Barrow had to say.

 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Incompetent Briceno’s failure to deliver promised Sarstoon Protocol leads to continued Guatemalan incursions. The opposition registers its condemnation of the Guatemalan Armed Forces breach of our territorial integrity by entering Belizean waters to obstruct our military personnel from completing a trip around our Sarstoon island with members of the press and other distinguished invited guest of our Sarstoon Forward Operating Base earlier on April twenty-fifth. While the UDP condemns the members of our armed forces for exercising restraint in order to ensure the safety of civilians on board, we emphatically deplore the governments inability to deliver on the Sarstoon Protocol they promised while campaigning to form government. According to individuals present on the Sarstoon trip, heavily armed Guatemalan soldiers approached the Belizean vessel carrying Brigadier General Azariel Loria and scolded them for being in Guatemala’s  territory which is completely incorrect and abhorrent. Independent media reports go on to say that general Loria in front of members of the Belize press Corp. did not respond. We find no fault in the general’s decision, however we blame the government for putting the general in a situation where he is under attack and aggressed by bullish Guatemalan Armed Forces.”