Guatemalan Fishers Threaten TIDE Rangers, Coast Guard with Gunshots

Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, confirmed to News 5 that Guatemalan fishers “fired what we believe were gunshots. Not in our direction, not in a direct confrontational manner, but in a threatening manner indeed.”

Yesterday, members of the Coast Guard conducted an operation in Belize’s southern waters, particularly near Corona Reef. “We are conducting a patrol from Hunting Caye, which is the furthest island to the south. And we are patrolling from that location towards the Sarstoon. This is a territorial integrity patrol that we conduct from time to time to guarantee the Belizean sovereignty over our sea spaces.”

Bennett stated that the operation included two vessels: the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) and the other from the Belize Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officers encountered gillnets in the area, particularly near Corona Reef.

Bennett added that the fishers were already in Guatemalan waters when the shots were fired, believed to be in the air. During this operation, the Coast Guard recovered eight gillnets, totalling over 600 feet, which were causing damage to the coral reefs.

The teams separated to cover more ground. The TIDE vessel, carrying two Coast Guard personnel, reportedly started pursuing a Guatemalan fishing vessel that had entered Belizean waters. According to Bennett, after the Guatemalan vessel crossed into Guatemala’s waters, it fired gunshots—not aimed directly at them, but in a threatening manner.

He said, “Our vessel stopped short. We did not go into Guatemalan waters. We stopped short of that location. At that point, the Guatemalan fishing vessel reportedly fired what we believe were gunshots…”

No injuries were reported. “As long as our patrols are not directly threatened, the extent of our jurisdiction is the limits of our sea spaces,” Bennett stated.

This incident is not the first time that Belize Coast Guard personnel have encountered Guatemalan fishing vessels in the area. Bennett added that while there have been past cases of vessel detentions, gillnet recoveries, and arrests, it is the first time the Coast Guard has faced gunfire.

“We have seized vessels, we have recovered gillnets, we have arrested personnel. We have never before been in a situation where you would see or hear gunshots,” Bennett said.

The Executive Director of TIDE, Leonardo Chavarria Jr., told News 5 that although this has been the first encounter where shots were fired, “this will certainly not deter us from protecting our fishery resources.” He added, “We have a mandate as co-managers to protect our fishery resources.”