2018 Guatemalan territorial dispute referendum

A referendum on the territorial dispute with Belize was held in Guatemala on Sunday April 15, 2018.[1][2] Voters were asked whether the Guatemalan government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the territorial dispute permanently, as part of a commitment signed in December 2008 between Guatemala and Belize. Guatemalan Vice President, Jafeth Cabrera, stated that Belize would hold their referendum in response in May 2018, but Belize released a statement denying that and stating rather that it would hold the referendum after the re-registration process has occurred to ensure an accurate and fair vote.[3]

Guatemalan territorial dispute referendum, 2018
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 determines finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?
Location	Guatemala
Date	15 April 2018 (2018-04-15)
Results Votes % Yes 1,780,530 95.88% No 76,602 4.12% Valid votes 1,857,132 92.64% Invalid or blank votes 147,597 7.36% Total votes 2,004,729 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 7,522,920 26.65%
Website: TSE Guatemala

Background

Further information: Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute, History of Belize, British Honduras, Heads of Agreement (1981), History of Belize (1506–1862), and Pedro de Aycinena y Piñol § Wyke-Aycinena treaty: Limits convention about Belize

In May 2015, Belize allowed Guatemala to proceed with a referendum asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to definitively rule on the dispute although Belize by its own admission is not ready for such a vote. A previous treaty between the two countries stipulated that any such vote must be held simultaneously. Guatemala was initially expected to hold its referendum on the issue during its second round of presidential elections in October 2015, but such a vote was not on the ballot.[4] Belize has yet to announce its vote on the matter.[5]

Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales has made statements strongly in support of Guatemala's old territorial claim to Belize: "Something is happening right now, we are about to lose Belize. We have not lost it yet. We still have the possibility of going to the International Court of Justice where we can fight that territory or part of that territory."[4]

If the population voted "No," a referendum would be called again in six months, until it wins "Yes" since both countries agree that the only way to solve the dispute is by means of the International Court of Justice. The call for the referendum was made on October 23, 2017.

Administration

On August 2, 2017, the Guatemalan Congress approved the agreement 22-2017, which allows the president to immediately submit to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal the request to convene the referendum. The agreement was approved by 102 votes in favor and 14 against. The European Union provided financial assistance for this to take place.

The Government of Guatemala convened a public consultation, and immediately, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal called a referendum on Sunday, April 15, 2018.

Around 7.5 million people registered for the referendum. Members of the armed forces (Air Force, Army, and Navy), people in prison, and Guatemalans living abroad were not allowed to vote.[6]

Question

The question of the referendum was this: "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 determines finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?"

Ballot question

English	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 determines finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?
Spanish	¿Está de acuerdo que cualquier reclamo legal de Guatemala en contra de Belice sobre territorios continentales e insulares y cualesquiera áreas marítimas correspondientes a dichos territorios sea sometido a la Corte Internacional de Justicia para su resolución definitiva y que esta determine las fronteras de los respectivos territorios y áreas de las partes?

Results

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	1,780,530	95.88
No	76,602	4.12
Invalid/blank	147,597	–
Total	2,004,729	100
Registered voters/turnout	7,522,920	26.65
Source: TSE

Vote share Yes   95.88% No   4.12%

See also

• 2019 Belizean territorial dispute referendum

References

1. "Guatemala avalará en las urnas el 15 de abril diferendo con Belice". Prensa-latina.cu. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
2. "Guatemaltecos irán a las urnas en 2018 por el referéndum con Belice | Publinews". Publinews.gt. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
3. "Belize Government rejects referendum date by Guatemala's Vice President". Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com. 2018-04-16. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
4. Trujillo, Renee. "Presidential Candidate for Guatemala Says Belize Can Still Be Fought For" Archived 2015-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, LOVE FM, 9 September 2015 (accessed 28 September 2015)
5. Ramos, Adele. "Belize and Guatemala to amend ICJ compromis", Amandala, 12 May 2015. (accessed 14 May 2015)
6. "Órgano electoral da luz verde a comicios generales". s21.com.gt. Retrieved 7 September 2015.

External links

• Tribunal Supremo Electoral (in Spanish)