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2016 Belize–Guatemala border standoff

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2016 Belize–Guatemala border standoff

The Sarstoon River
LocationBelize–Guatemala border
Result Further strain in Belize–Guatemala relations
Belligerents
 Belize  Guatemala
Units involved
 Belize Defence Force

Armed Forces of Guatemala

Strength
Unknown 3,000
Casualties and losses
1 civilian killed, 2 others injured

The 2016 Belize–Guatemala border standoff began when Belizean soldiers fatally shot a 13-year-old Guatemalan in the Cebada area of the Chiquibul National Park in western Belize with Guatemala.

Events

Guatemalan authorities claimed that Julio René Alvarado Ruano, his father and his younger brother were shot by Belizean soldiers on 20 April 2016, while they were hunting in the Belize forest near the northern department of Petén. Julio died in hospital shortly afterwards from the severity of his wounds, while his father and brother were wounded but not critically. In a different version of events, Belize says its troops shot in self-defence after coming under fire while on patrol, and added that Julio's body was found just inside Belizean territory.

The Belizean government claimed in a statement that according to initial reports, its security forces were investigating illegal land clearing in the Cebada area of the Chiquibul National Park in western Belize when they detained a Guatemalan man suspected of illicit activities. It said the patrol came under fire around nightfall and shot back in self-defence. Before leaving the location just inside Belizean territory, the soldiers found the teenager's body, which was taken to Belize City for an autopsy. The Guatemalan foreign ministry said the autopsy conducted in Belize determined that the teenager had been shot eight times, including four times in the back, by a high-powered, military-grade rifle.

In response to the shooting, the Guatemalan government ordered the deployment of 3,000 troops along its border, including the special forces unit known as the Kaibiles, and recalled its ambassador to Belize.

See also

References

  1. ^ Perez, Sonia; Jones, Patrick E. (23 April 2016). "Belize Says Guatemala "Amassing" Troops in Border Areas". ABC News. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  2. "Guatemalan troops mass near Belize border after shooting incident". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2016-04-22. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  3. "Belize-Guatemala border tensions rise over shooting". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  4. "Guats deploy Kaibiles to Belize border". Amandala Newspaper. 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  5. "Guatemala condemns teen's killing in Belize border incident". Fox News. 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
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