Belize–Guatemala border

Logwood cutters and a treaty

English settlers began cutting logwood and mahogany on the coast in the 17th century. Spanish treaties of 1763, 1783 and 1786 let them work there, within limits set by the Hondo, Belize and Sibun rivers, and Spain’s last attack on the settlements was defeated in 1798.^[1]

On 30 April 1859 Britain and Guatemala signed a boundary treaty. It runs the line up the middle of the Sarstoon river to Gracias a Dios Falls, then in a straight line to Garbutt’s Falls on the Belize river, then due north to Mexico. A joint commission marked the southern part in 1861, but the markers in between later disappeared; a 1929 commission re-established only the two at the falls.^[1]

“Beginning at the mouth of the river Sarstoon (Sarstún) in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the midchannel thereof to Gracias á Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias á Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the river Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.”^[1]

The road that wasn’t built

Article 7 of the treaty committed both sides to build the easiest link, by road or river, between the Atlantic coast near Belize and Guatemala City. An 1863 convention had Britain pay £50,000 towards a road, but it was never ratified. Guatemala argues that Britain voided the treaty by failing to carry out Article 7; Britain denied that it alone was responsible.^[1]

On 8 December 2008 Guatemala and Belize agreed to put the claim to the International Court of Justice, asking it to rule on Guatemala’s claims to land, islands and sea and to fix the boundaries. The case reached the court on 7 June 2019. Both sides agreed to accept its decision and to set up a joint commission to mark the line afterwards.^[2]