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C O N F I D E N T I A L BELMOPAN 000055 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CEN - JENNIFER VANTRUMP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020 
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PREL OAS BH GT
SUBJECT: BELIZEAN PUBLIC IN AN UPROAR OVER FOREIGN 
MINISTER'S COMMENTS TO THE OAS 
 
Classified By: J.A. Diffily for reason 1.4(b) (d) 
 
 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  A comment made by Foreign Minister Wilfred 
Elrington following a meeting at the Organization of American 
States (OAS) has stirred widespread discontent among Belizean 
nationalists, NGO,s, and political leaders.  Elrington was 
quoted as describing Belize,s border with Guatemala as 
&artificial8 and saying that Belizeans and Guatemalans are 
the &same people with the same aspirations and desires.8 
While the Minister may have viewed his choice of words as 
diplomatic, reactions in Belize range from mildly 
disapproving to deeply offended.  Some view the statement as 
a mistaken use of language, while others see the comment as 
failing to reflect national views.  More extreme reactions 
call for a public apology from Elrington, a clarification to 
OAS on the GoB,s policy, or for the FM to be stripped of his 
portfolio.  While Prime Minister Dean Barrow has noted that 
the comments were &unfortunate8, he continues in his 
support of Elrington.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) On December 16, 2009, the Foreign Ministers of Belize 
and Guatemala met under the auspices of the OAS in 
Washington, D.C., to discuss the Belize-Guatemala Territorial 
Differendum.  At the meeting, it was decided to establish a 
high-level working group to promote communication on the 
situation of the Adjacency Zone, to analyze issues provoking 
difficulties, and advance pending bilateral issues. 
Additionally, it was agreed that there would be a technical 
evaluation of the Confidence Building Measures to make 
recommendations for improvement. 
 
¶3. (U) In Belize, Elrington,s comments have caused 
significant public discontent.  Elrington is quoted as 
saying, &We have to interact to emphasize the view that we 
are not different from each other; the fact of this 
artificial border does not make us different.  We are still 
the same people, with the same aspirations and desires.8 
Elrington,s comment stirred widespread displeasure by 
Belizeans concerned with maintaining the country,s 
territorial integrity and opposing any notion of Guatemalan 
usurpation. 
 
¶4.  (U) Elrington,s comment came on the heels of press 
reports by the Amandala newspaper and TV Channel 7 of 
increasing border incursions by Guatemalan citizens from the 
Peten region.  Channel 7,s coverage began on December 7 with 
the report of the arrest of a 28-year-old Guatemalan in 
Caracol Archaeological Reserve just 500 meters inside 
Belizean territory.  The Guatemalan national was caught with 
two freshly killed game animal carcasses believed to have 
been shot in the Chiquibul protected area.  Belizean 
authorities later charged him with possession of an illegal 
firearm and ammunition, and he was remanded to prison until 
March 16, 2010.  Channel 7 aired a series of reports that 
exposed deforestation, illegal logging, xate (sha-tay, a type 
of ornamental palm) extraction, hunting, and farming, all 
attributed to Guatemalan incursions in the Chiquibul Forest 
Reserve.  On December 11, the Amandala newspaper reported a 
visit by Mayan leaders into the Columbia River Forest Reserve 
and Bladen Nature Reserve which lie further south of the 
Chiquibul Forest Reserve.  The report uncovered similar 
illegal operations by Guatemalan xateros. 
 
¶5.  (U) Following the OAS meeting, there were heated 
nationalist reactions condemning the Foreign Minister,s 
comments.  Elrington staunchly defended his views in 
interviews.  In an attempt to explain what he meant by 
&artificial" Elrington noted that the border was artificial 
in the literal sense that it is a man-made border as opposed 
to a natural border.  In a later interview with Amandala on 
December 21, 2009, Elrington said that in Europe the 
importance of borders is downplayed.  He noted that Belize 
participates in the Central American Integration System 
(SICA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ) which are 
similar systems that downplay borders. 
 
¶6.  (U) These views failed to quell the outrage of 
nationalists, NGOs, the media, and fellow political 
personalities who have accused Elrington of failing to 
reflect Belizean national views.  There have been calls for a 
public apology from Elrington and demands that the GoB 
clarify its position to the OAS.  The most extreme demands 
were for the Prime Minister to strip Elrington of his 
ministerial portfolio. 
 
¶7.  (U) The initial reaction was sparked by nationalist Emma 
Boiton, who was the partner of the late Philip Goldson, a 
noted Belizean independence figure.  Ms. Boiton was quoted in 
the Amandala Newspaper of December 18, &Their (Guatemala,s) 
goal is to take what does not belong to them; their goal is 
to take over Belize.8  She went on to say that &We (Belize) 
 
have a border and we are not the same people,8 adding that 
Belize and Guatemala do not even share the same language, the 
same culture, or the same beliefs. 
 
¶8.  (U) Gregory Ch,oc, Executive Director of the Sarstoon 
Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) noted 
that Elrington,s comments were &outrightly outrageous.8 
He has been among those urging PM Barrow to replace the 
Foreign Minister or risk Elrington,s statement being viewed 
as those of the GoB.  (Note:  Gregory Ch,oc was the previous 
spokesperson of the Maya Leaders Alliance and remains a 
prominent member of the Alliance.  End Note.) 
 
¶9.  (U) While media personality Jules Vasquez viewed 
Elrington,s comment as &a careless use of language8, 
another media personality and KREM TV,s manager, Mose Hyde, 
has been one of Elrington,s strongest critics calling for 
his resignation.  Hyde announced his station,s decision to 
immediately cancel Elrington,s weekly television show 
&Belizean Exposure8. 
 
¶10.  (U) On the political scene, John Briceno, the Leader of 
the Opposition, said:  &we can,t have a minister of 
government talking about an abstract or artificial border,8 
and like others has called for a public apology and possibly 
a change of portfolio at the PM,s discretion. 
 
¶11. (U) Senator Godwin Hulse, a nationalist and a private 
sector-nominated representative in the Senate, has also been 
a vocal opponent.  He has called on Elrington &(to offer a 
clear statement on this matter and inform the OAS 
accordingly, requesting them to issue another press statement 
with the clarification(8  He has challenged GoB to 
&clearly state what its policy is on our border with 
Guatemala and whether the Government considers it 
 artificial,.  If not, then Elrington has not represented 
the views of the Government and people of Belize, and 
therefore, should apologize or resign from the post of 
Foreign Minister.8 
 
¶12.  (U) Despite the general air of discontent, PM Barrow 
continues to support Elrington.  While the PM views the FM,s 
comments as &unfortunate8, he said that calling for 
resignation is &blowing the issue completely out of 
proportion.8  PM Barrow also said that an apology and 
clarification to the OAS are not necessary at this time. 
 
¶13.  (C) In a meeting with Ambassador on January 25, 
Elrington opened the meeting with comments about the event. 
He said that the &general masses8 do not have a complaint 
about the statement, that the comment presented an &occasion 
for enemies to express dislike8 of him, and that the 
&passionate resentment8 of his enemies is fueling their 
desire to &use resources to derail8 any public progress on 
the issue.  Elrington said that Belize does not spend enough 
time educating the people on this issue. 
 
¶14.  (C)  COMMENT.  The public discontent is a reflection of 
the deeply nationalist views of Belizeans who oppose any idea 
of compromising their territorial integrity.  The opposition 
to Elrington,s comments was further incited by news of the 
increasing number of incidents of border incursions by 
Guatemalans who are allegedly depleting the country,s 
natural resources along the unprotected border. 
Additionally, Elrington,s steadfast defense of his views 
also contributed to the escalating opposition.  It is not 
expected that the public opposition will result in any change 
in GoB,s ministerial portfolio or GoB,s foreign policy 
position on the Belize-Guatemala Differendum.  However, the 
sentiments expressed as a result of this incident may reflect 
growing skepticism about the provisions of the 2008 decision 
to take Guatemala,s claim for a final and binding decision 
before the International Court of Justice.  The Belizean 
xenophobia aimed at Guatemala and Guatemalans manifests 
itself in not-so-subtle ways.  Even well-educated Belizeans 
will speak of Guatemala as a threat to the independence of 
Belize.  The public outcry against a statement that was given 
at the end of a productive meeting from which the Foreign 
Minister emerged feeling hopeful for resolution is, from 
Post,s view, unfortunate and a reflection of the lack of 
effort made by the GoB to educate the public on the issues. 
Post also finds it ironic that the public outcry against a 
statement about the border has the ability to incite such 
outrage but the public is silent on the GoB,s struggle to 
deal with the issues of the daily events at the virtually 
unprotected Belizean borders involving the trafficking of 
people, drugs, and all types of agricultural contraband.  END 
COMMENT. 
THUMMALAPALLY