GUATEMALA BELIZEAN MILITARY OFFICIALS RELEASED

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(4 Mar 2000) Spanish/Nat • • The Guatemalan Supreme Court Friday ordered the release of four Belizean military officials who were allegedly caught on Guatemalan territory. • • Their imprisonment fueled a century-old border dispute between the Central American neighbors and the four officials were freed shortly after. • • Meanwhile, for those living in the disputed area, tensions are high. • • Military surveillance is high on the border between Guatemala and Belize. • • On Friday, the Guatemalan Supreme Court ordered the release of four Belizean military officials whose imprisonment re-ignited a century-old border dispute between the Central American neighbors. • • The four were freed shortly after. • • Three soldiers and a police officer from the Belize Defense Force were arrested on illegal weapons charges February 24, after they were found with machine guns and pistols in what Guatemalan officials say is the northernmost Guatemalan state of Peten. • • The Guatemalan military says it has scientific proof the four were in Guatemalan territory. • Soldiers constantly patrol the area which has been a thorn in the side of diplomatic relations between the two countries. • • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • Our activities here are due to the presence of the Belizean Armed Forces. Therefore for us, our mission is to carry out patrols in the territory which is common, in the territory which belongs to Belize and the territory which is ours. • SUPER CAPTION: Lieutenant Kenny Gonzales Ramirez • • But Belizean officials say their officers never crossed the border and were actually arrested in Belize's Toledo District. • • The border dispute seems unlikely to end anytime soon. • • Meanwhile, tensions between the two Central American countries remain high. • • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • As Guatemalan citizens, we have a right to this land because it is not theirs and as far as we're concerned we are still here. • SUPER CAPTION: José Martinez • • Many who live in the disputed area just don't know to which country they belong to. • • An uneasy situation which could easily turn violent. • • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • The problem that we have here is that we want to know if we are in Belize or in Guatemala. Until now, we still do not know anything because they say that everything here is theirs and we do not know. The problem is that they have come here to steal corn, to steal beans, to threaten people they have found working. It's a miracle they have not killed anybody here but they have come close to doing it. • SUPER CAPTION: Alva Luz Leiva • • The recent arrests mark the latest chapter in a nearly 150-year-old territorial dispute. • • Guatemala once claimed the entire territory of Belize, but the Belize government discouraged any military action by the presence of a token British infantry and tank force. • • Though Guatemala officially recognized Belize's borders in 1992, the disagreement was reignited in recent months by the deaths of two Guatemalans at the hands of border guards from Belize. • • After the recent arrests became public, Belize immediately called off a round of scheduled peace talks with Guatemalan officials in Miami. • • Supreme Court judges gave no explanation for their decision. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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