On Thursday September 9, the Guatemalan congress, through a majority vote, approved the Special Agreement signed by Belize and Guatemala on December 8, 2008.
In speaking with Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala H.E. Alfredo Martinez, he explained to the Guardian that the approval of the Special Agreement by the Guatemalan congress now paves the way for it to be taken to the next stage, that is, for the issue to be taken to referendum. That next step will include the Guatemalan president referring the matter to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of that country for the matter to be put to a referendum. Martinez, who had in previous interviews expressed concern that the issue would not have been easily been approved by Guatemala’s congress, explained that the decision was largely due to lobbying efforts by that country’s foreign affairs ministry.
The ministry, explained Martinez, lobbied members of the 14 political parties which form that body. In the end, the Guatemalan foreign affairs ministry was able to convince the majority of congressmen that the Special Agreement was in fact an international commitment which had to be respected by congress.
For Belize it now means that the issue has to be presented at the National Assembly. Belize’s Cabinet has already approved the Special Agreement and will now have to be taken to the next step. That is a decision that will now be taken by government. If and when the matter is taken to a referendum, the Belizean people will be asked the following question: “Do you agree that any legal claim of Guatemala against Belize relating to land and insular territories and to any maritime areas pertaining to these territories should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement and that it determine finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?”
Of note is that before the matter is put to a referendum in either country, there has to be an education campaign which needs to take place. Martinez says that is yet to begin in Guatemala. After the education campaign takes place, the referendum will take place; however, this has to be done simultaneously in both countries. Because there are upcoming elections in Guatemala in September 2011 as well as in Belize six months after that with municipal elections and General Elections thereafter Ambassador Martinez expressed reservations that a referendum will take place anytime soon. He explained that it is likely that both countries would wait until after elections to have the issue taken to referendum.
