BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 30, 2021– The Belize Defence Force has sent a report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the burning of a house belonging to a Guatemalan national earlier this week. The man was reportedly squatting on the Belize side of the Adjacency Zone. The structure was allegedly burnt by members of the 2nd Infantry Battalion.

He was identified as Felipe Martinez Lara, is said to be a long-time encroacher on Belizean territory.

However, the BDF is being accused of departing from the protocols that were put in place by the Organization of American States (OAS) to facilitate the removal of persons living in the Adjacency Zone.

Reports by Guatemalan media widely publicized the incident, and classified the actions of the BDF as being arbitrary and outside the rules established by the OAS.

Guatemalan reports are that the Departmental Governor of Peten visited Lara on behalf of Guatemalan president Alejandro Giammattei and took him grocery items.

An official statement has still not been released by the BDF in regard to this recent incident, but reports are that the order which resulted in the destruction of the home, was issued directly from the BDF Headquarters to the 2nd Lieutenant of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, who carried out the mission.

Today, the Belize Progressive Party released a statement in which the party commended the efforts of the BDF and indicated that they continue to stand in solidarity with the men and women of the force.

The release also called attention to the apparent incompetence of the OAS in dealing with the constant incursions by Guatemalans into Belizean territory.

“While the OAS continues to sleep at the wheels, the BPP applauds the recent actions of the BDF in addressing the blatant and persistent illegal incursions along the Belize border. These incursions are outright violations of national and international laws. Illegal settlements and natural resources exploitation undermines the integrity of our precious natural resources while consuming the already stretched resources of the BDF,” stated the release.

The release further called on the OAS to “wake up” and urged the organization to carry out its duties by stopping these illegal incursions and ensuring fairness and adherence to the rule of law. It further stated, “The call is also to ensure that the Guatemalan counterparts respect and adhere to the rules of the Adjacency Zone.”

At the conclusion of the release, the BPP called on the government to properly equip the BDF to do their job along the borders.