OAS Chief urges “cool management” after Sarstoon incident

By Zoila Palma:  Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Albert Ramdin says he was not completely surprised by the recent incident in the Sarstoon River, noting that tensions could increase around Belize’s Independence celebrations.

Ramdin recently met with the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala to discuss the ICJ case, peace and regional stability.

“It confirms something which we had already indicated that I do expect in the coming months, given the sensitivities, Independence Day and all of that, that some groups will create some incidents,” Ramdin said.

Ramdin said Belize Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez have assured him that dialogue between the two countries will continue.

“Both Foreign Minister Fonseca and Foreign Minister Martinez have been very clear to me, and I trust both of them in this instance very well, that they will keep dialogue ongoing,” he said, while noting that the OAS Adjacency Zone Office does not have a mandate to address other cross-border infringements, including incidents involving rivers.

The OAS Secretary General urged authorities on both sides to exercise restraint and manage tensions carefully.

“We expect wisdom and cool management of this process so that we don’t get matters like this escalate,” Ramdin said.

He also commended Prime Minister John Briceño and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo for their commitment to resolving the dispute peacefully while awaiting the ICJ’s decision, and said the OAS is already looking toward supporting both countries with implementation assistance following the court’s ruling.

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