BELIZE CITY (Reuters) - Belizeans on Wednesday began voting in a referendum on whether a top U.N. court should rule on neighboring Guatemala’s claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize’s territory, a dispute dating back to Spanish and British colonial rule.

Guatemalans in April 2018 overwhelmingly voted to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to make a decision on the dispute with Belize.

The referendum in the small Central American country is highly politicized, but could help end a border conflict that originated during the colonial era.

Belize’s ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) has argued in favor of seeking the court’s intervention in hopes of settling the matter once and for all, betting the court will uphold the current border.

Critics of the plan, which include the opposition People’s United Party (PUP), are pushing voters to reject arbitration by the court due to the risk that Belize could lose a large chunk of disputed territory from its center to the south.

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square kilometers, about half the territory of the former British colony.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize, an English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized.

Some 147,000 Belize residents have registered to take part in Wednesday’s referendum.

Results of the vote are expected by early Thursday. </s> Guatemala voted Sunday on whether to send a long-running border dispute with neighboring Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final resolution.

Polls closed at 6:00 pm (0000 GMT) after 11 hours of voting, which took place “without reports of security incidents,” according to Supreme Electoral Tribunal president Maria Eugenia Mijangos.

But despite 7.5 million Guatemalans being summoned to the ballot box, the vote was marked by low turnout.

The disagreement, whose roots go back two centuries, has seen tensions spike from time to time. Two years ago Guatemala mobilized 3,000 troops along the densely forested unmarked border zone after an incident in which a Guatemalan teen was fatally shot.

A Belize border patrol had opened fire under being shot at, but an investigation by the Organization of American States ended up finding it not responsible for the teen’s death.

The referendum was agreed under a 2008 accord to send the dispute to The Hague-based ICJ, if the populations of Guatemala and Belize approved.

Observers from 25 countries were on hand to monitor the polling.

Belize has not yet fixed a date for its referendum on the issue, although officials say it could take place next year.

The Guatemalan plebiscite question asks voters to respond “yes” or “no” as to whether any legal claims by Guatemala against Belize relating to its territories “should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement” and boundary determination.

The country has an electorate of 7.5 million people, but analysts believe turnout could be lackluster, perhaps as low as 10 percent.

The head of Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Maria Eugenia Mijangos, told reporters that voter apathy was a big risk. Efforts by Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales to boost turnout have foundered on the rocks of his low popularity.

On Sunday, Mijangos said: “We are calling on all Guatemalans, especially the youth making up the majority of the electorate, to participate, to go to polling stations to put in their vote on this very important issue which has taken so many years to find a solution to.”

Morales said as he voted that the two countries had “very good bilateral relations” and he hoped the dispute could be resolved.

Guatemala has made claims over more than half of Belize’s territory, dating to when its English-speaking neighbor was a British colony known as British Honduras.

The border issue goes back to 1783 when Spain — the former colonial power over what is now Guatemala — gave Britain the right to occupy the territory that became Belize and exploit its timber in exchange for combating piracy. A century later, it became a British colony.

In 1964, British Honduras won the right to self-government, then in 1973 renamed itself Belize.

Independence came in 1981, though a British military presence remained until the mid-1990s because Guatemala refused for a decade to recognize it as a new country. </s> CAYO DISTRICT, Belize, (Reuters) – Belizeans yesterday voted in a referendum on whether a top U.N. court should rule on neighboring Guatemala’s claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize’s territory, a dispute dating back to Spanish and British colonial rule.

Guatemalans in April 2018 overwhelmingly voted to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to make a decision on the dispute with Belize.

The referendum in the small Central American country is highly politicized, but could help end a border conflict that originated during the colonial era.

Belize’s ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) has argued in favor of seeking the court’s intervention in hopes of settling the matter once and for all, betting the court will uphold the current border.

Earl Trapp, UDP mayor of the twin towns San Ignacio and Santa Elena, said a vote for the court was “imperative.”

“This is the time that we have support from the world, from the U.N., to end this unfounded claim,” he said.

A trickle of voters reached polling stations during the morning, with greater numbers expected in the afternoon. Results of the referendum are expected by early Thursday.

Critics of the plan, which include the opposition People’s United Party (PUP), are pushing voters to reject arbitration by the court due to the risk that Belize could lose a large chunk of disputed territory from its center to the south.

Alfaro Bol, a voter in Stann Creek West in southeastern Belize, said he did not want ICJ judges to get involved.

“We have defined borders,” he said. “There’s no need for 15 foreigners to tell us where our borders lie.”

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square kilometers, about half the territory of the former British colony.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize, an English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized.

Some 147,000 Belize residents registered to take part in Wednesday’s referendum. </s> Belizeans have voted to ask a top United Nations court to decide on neighbouring Guatemala's claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize's territory, setting the scene for potential resolution of a dispute that has rumbled on for centuries.

In a referendum held in Belize on Wednesday, some 55.4 per cent of voters opted to send the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, according to preliminary results published by the elections and boundaries department on Thursday.

The remaining 44.6 per cent of voters in the former British colony in Central America opposed the motion to ask the court.

The result was a victory for the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who is betting the court will settle the issue once and for all.

Guatemalans in April 2018 voted by an overwhelming majority to have the ICJ rule on the dispute.

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square kilometres of Belize, about half of its territory.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize, an English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized.

Guatemala's government on Thursday applauded the vote in Belize.

The Guatemalan foreign ministry said in a statement that it would immediately contact the foreign ministry of Belize to agree on the next steps in efforts to resolve the dispute. </s> 96 percent of voters in Guatemala on Sunday said yes to a referendum on how to resolve the territorial dispute with neighboring Belize.

7.5 million Guatemalan voters were called to decide whether or not to bring the dispute before the International Court of Justice with a view towards defining the frontier between the two nations. </s> Islanders of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker in Belize Rural South (BRS) came out in a steady flow on Wednesday, May 8th to participate in the Territorial Dispute Referendum on whether to take the Guatemalan claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). After polls closed at 6PM, a total of 4,253 had cast their vote in BRS. Three hours later, the results were in and with a total of 2,373 against 1,857, the ‘YES’ vote won, with the majority of support recorded in San Pedro Town.

At the polling stations countrywide, Belizeans were asked to either vote ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ on the question: "Do you agree that any legal claim of Guatemala against Belize relating to land and insular territories and to any maritime areas pertaining to these territories should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement and that it determine finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the Parties?"

Throughout the day, members of both the ruling United Democratic Party and the Opposition People’s United Party encouraged citizens to come out and exercise their democratic right to vote. in Caye Caulker, which carried the polling stations #34 and #38, 385 votes favored the ‘NO’ option, while 341 electorates voted ‘YES’. One ballot was rejected. Hicaqueños said ‘NO’ to the ICJ by a margin of 44 votes.

Meanwhile, in San Pedro Town, Polling Area #37, a total of 2,032 voted ‘YES’, and 1,472 voted ‘NO’ to settling the dispute at the ICJ. 22 ballots were rejected in San Pedro. After tallying the total number of votes, ‘YES’ prevailed in BRS by 516. Returning Officer Martin Alegria shared with the media that the process went smoothly and there were no disputes nor was there any mischief during the process. Nevertheless, he would have liked to see more Belizeans come out and vote.

BRS Area Representative Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr., was more than satisfied with the results and indicated that it was the will of the people. “Everyone wants to end with this dispute, and today the people spoke and decided to deal with and move on as a country,” said Heredia. He added that thanks to the ICJ campaign, many people made an informed decision.

Across the country, unofficial reports give the same story as BRS, with the ‘YES’ vote leading. In many areas, the vote in favor of the ICJ was unexpected. Overall, 65% of the 148,500 of electorates that re-registered came to vote. The Belize District registered the highest turn out with 69%, while in the Toledo District, only 59% came out to cast their vote.

Now that Belizeans have opted to take the territorial dispute to the ICJ, the government must start preparing to face Guatemala at this international court. In the next six months, both countries will have the time to start planning their presentations, which will take place inside the Peace Palace, at The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICJ is headquartered. Guatemala will first present its evidence on her rights over Belize. Belize will then have six months to dispute the Guatemalan claim and convince the judges that its neighbor to the west has absolutely no title or rights over the Jewel.

For a complete report on the referendum process, look for our detailed story in the print issue of The San Pedro Sun out this Friday, May 10th.

Follow The San Pedro Sun News on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook. Stay updated via RSS </s> BELIZE CITY (Reuters) - Belizeans have voted to ask the United Nations world court to decide Guatemala’s claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize’s territory, setting the scene for a resolution to a dispute that has rumbled on for centuries.

FILE PHOTO: Poll workers count ballots after polls closed at a polling station during a referendum on a border dispute with Belize in Guatemala City, Guatemala April 15, 2018. REUTERS/Luis Echeverria/File Photo

In a referendum held on Wednesday, 55.4 percent of voters opted to send the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, according to results published by Belize’s elections and boundaries department on Thursday.

The remaining 44.6 percent of voters in the former British colony in Central America opposed the motion to ask the court.

Guatemalans in April 2018 voted by an overwhelming majority to have the ICJ rule on the dispute, which stretches back to the dawn of the colonial era in the Americas.

In a statement, Guatemala’s government applauded the result and said it would immediately contact the foreign ministry of Belize to agree the next steps in the process.

“The final resolution of the dispute will broaden and deepen the good relations that exist between Guatemala and Belize,” the Guatemalan foreign ministry said.

Marta Larra, a spokeswoman for the ministry, estimated it could be around four years before a final court decision.

“The most important thing for Guatemala is defining the border,” said Larra.

Officials from the U.S. State Department, the European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) also welcomed the outcome of the referendum.

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square km (4,250 square miles) of Belize, about half of its territory.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow is betting the court will settle the issue once and for all by confirming the borders.

Related Coverage Guatemala applauds Belize vote, says to work on next steps

In Belize City, Barrow told a news conference he wanted to make sure there were “no slip-ups” in preparing Belize’s case.

An English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, Belize became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized. </s> BELIZE CITY, May 8 (Reuters) - Belizeans have voted in a referendum that a top United Nations court should make a ruling on Guatemala's claim that it is the rightful owner of half of neighboring Belize's territory, Belize's electoral authorities said on Thursday.

Guatemalans in April 2018 overwhelmingly voted to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to make a decision on the dispute with Belize. The origins of the dispute date far back into the colonial era. (Reporting by Jose Sanchez) </s> BELIZE CITY (Reuters) - Belizeans have voted to ask the United Nations world court to decide Guatemala’s claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize’s territory, setting the scene for a resolution to a dispute that has rumbled on for centuries.

In a referendum held on Wednesday, 55.4 percent of voters opted to send the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, according to results published by Belize’s elections and boundaries department on Thursday.

The remaining 44.6 percent of voters in the former British colony in Central America opposed the motion to ask the court.

Guatemalans in April 2018 voted by an overwhelming majority to have the ICJ rule on the dispute, which stretches back to the dawn of the colonial era in the Americas. [nL8N1RS0MI]

In a statement, Guatemala’s government applauded the referendum result and said it would immediately contact the foreign ministry of Belize to agree the next steps in the process.

“The final resolution of the dispute will broaden and deepen the good relations that exist between Guatemala and Belize,” the Guatemalan foreign ministry said.

Officials from the U.S. State Department, the European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) also welcomed the outcome of the Belize referendum.

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square km (4,250 square miles) of Belize, about half of its territory.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow is betting the court will settle the issue once and for all by confirming Belize’s borders.

Belize, an English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized.
In a referendum, 55.37% of the Belizean population voted in favor of allowing the International Court of Justice to adjudicate Belize's border dispute with its neighbor Guatemala.