By: Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: 25th November 2025

THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE BELIZE

SPECIAL FEATURE ARTICLE

Introduction: A Case Years in the Making—And with Consequences That Stretch Beyond the Horizon

At 3:00 a.m. Belize time yesterday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague opened a hearing that—though presented as a procedural matter—carries serious territorial, maritime, and geopolitical implications for Belize.

The case formally before the Court is:

Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes / Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras) — ICJ Case 185.

But the hearing today was not about deciding who owns the Sapodilla Cayes. Instead, it centered on Guatemala’s request to intervene in the case—an attempt to enter a dispute that Belize filed against Honduras, not Guatemala.

Yet today’s hearing matters profoundly, because the Sapodilla Cayes sit at the very southern tip of Belize’s maritime domain—a critical junction where the interests of Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala collide. And they form a central element in another major case Belize is facing:

Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim (Guatemala v. Belize) — ICJ Case 177.

The ICJ’s handling of the Sapodilla Cayes case will therefore influence the landscape of the broader, much larger territorial claim case that could redefine borders and maritime rights in the entire region.

National Perspective Belize presents here a deep, factual, and comprehensive analysis of these intertwined cases, their legal foundations, the arguments unfolding at the ICJ, and what the current hearings mean for Belizeans.

1. Why the Sapodilla Cayes Matter: Geography, Sovereignty, and Maritime Power

The Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve comprises 14 small sand and mangrove cayes located roughly 40–46 miles due east of Punta Gorda Town. They sit along the southern edge of the Belize Barrier Reef and form the “cornerstone” of Belize’s southern maritime reach.

Their importance is threefold:

a) Territorial Sea & EEZ Extension

Ownership of the cayes grants Belize sovereign control over:

• The 12-nautical-mile territorial sea around the islands
• A strategic extension of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• Control over maritime approaches to the Gulf of Honduras

b) Fisheries, Environment & Tourism

The surrounding waters are among Belize’s richest fishing grounds and most stunning reef habitats. Sovereignty ensures:

• Sustainable fisheries management
• Enforcement against illegal fishing
• Protection of the region’s marine biodiversity
• Control over eco-tourism rights

c) National Security

The cayes sit at the tri-junction of Belize, Honduras and Guatemala’s maritime zones. Control of Sapodilla affects:

• Regional naval and coast guard operations
• Maritime traffic supervision
• Anti-narcotics and anti-smuggling efforts

Thus, sovereignty over Sapodilla is not symbolic—it has direct implications for the economy, environment, and national security of Belize.

2. How the Case Reached the ICJ

November 2022 – Belize Files Case Against Honduras

Belize formally instituted proceedings against Honduras on 16–17 November 2022, asking the ICJ to declare that:

“As between Belize and Honduras, Belize is sovereign over the Sapodilla Cayes.”

The ICJ accepted the case and set deadlines:

• Belize Memorial – filed 2 May 2023
• Honduras Counter-Memorial – filed 4 December 2023

Both written pleadings are completed.

Under normal procedure, the case would now advance to oral hearings on the merits (evidence, witnesses, legal arguments, historical documents).

But something unusual happened.

3. Guatemala Steps In—Attempts to Intervene

On 11 December 2023, Guatemala filed an Application for permission to intervene under Article 62 of the ICJ Statute.

This law allows a country not directly involved in a case to join proceedings if it can show a “legal interest” that may be affected by the judgment.

Guatemala argues it has such an interest because:

• It claims sovereignty over Sapodilla Cayes in its own ICJ case with Belize (Case 177).
• It says a ruling between Belize and Honduras could affect its rights.
• It claims the Sapodilla Cayes dispute “overlaps” with its territorial, insular, and maritime claim against Belize.

Thus, Guatemala’s request is strategic:

To ensure the ICJ does not decide anything in the Sapodilla case that could weaken Guatemala’s position in the much larger Guatemala v. Belize case.

4. What Happened at the ICJ Yesterday

At 3:00 a.m. Belize time, the ICJ convened to hear Guatemala’s first round of oral arguments.

Guatemala’s core narrative yesterday:

• Spanish Title Theory

Guatemala insists Spain had sovereignty over Sapodilla—and that this passed to Guatemala after 1821—not to Britain.

• 1859 Boundary Treaty Argument

Guatemala claims the 1859 treaty between Britain and Guatemala did not include islands, only mainland boundaries.

• Attack on Belize’s Legal Strategy

Guatemala accuses Belize of trying to “prejudge” issues in the Guatemala–Belize dispute by litigating Sapodilla with Honduras first.

• Allegation of “Backdoor Evidence”

Guatemala claims Belize is bringing arguments relevant to the Guatemala–Belize case “through the back door” in the Sapodilla case.

• Maritime Rights Concern

Guatemala argues that any judgment in Sapodilla affects:

Its maritime projection

Its entitlements under international law

Its own claim to the Cayes in the parallel case

Why these matters

Guatemala is not simply asking to join the case politely—it is arguing that:

• Any ruling on Sapodilla must not exclude Guatemala,
• And that Guatemala’s rights must be protected even in a case where it is not a party.

This demonstrates that Guatemala sees Sapodilla as central to its larger claim.

5. Belize and Honduras’ Positions on Guatemala’s Intervention

Although both will speak in upcoming hearings, their known positions are as follows:

Belize’s Position

• Guatemala has no direct legal interest in a case that is solely between Belize and Honduras.
• Guatemala’s claims belong in the separate case (Case 177).
• Intervention would distort a bilateral case into a trilateral territorial conflict.
• Belize’s historical title is clear, longstanding, and legally recognized for over 150 years.

Honduras’ Position

• Honduras also opposes Guatemala’s intervention.
• It insists this is strictly a Belize-Honduras dispute.
• Honduras does not want Guatemala influencing a case that concerns only two states.

6. What Happens Next: The ICJ’s Possible Decisions

The ICJ must now decide whether Guatemala can intervene.

Scenario A – Guatemala Allowed to Intervene (Partially)

Most likely outcome.

• Guatemala is not made a full party.
• But the Court allows Guatemala to:
• Submit written observations
• Make limited oral arguments
• Protect its claimed interests

The Court stresses that no ruling in the Sapodilla case prejudices Guatemala’s rights in the larger case.

Scenario B – Intervention Rejected

Still possible.

• Court rules Guatemala’s interest is already protected in Case 177.
• Sapodilla case proceeds strictly between Belize and Honduras.

Either way:

The Sapodilla Cayes case will still proceed to full hearings on the merits.

7. How This Connects to the Larger Belize–Guatemala Territorial Claim

The Sapodilla Cayes are part of Guatemala’s “insular claim” in Case 177.

That case covers:

• Mainland territorial claim
• Insular claim (including Sapodilla, Ranguana, etc.)
• Maritime delimitation

The written phase of that case is complete:

• Guatemala Memorial
• Belize Counter-Memorial
• Guatemala Reply
• Belize Rejoinder (filed June 2023)
•  

The ICJ is now preparing to schedule oral merits hearings for the Guatemala–Belize case.

Thus, yesterday’s Sapodilla hearing gives us a preview of:

• Guatemala’s legal strategy
• Its historical arguments
• Its view of treaty interpretation
• Its approach to maritime rights

This is invaluable insight for Belize’s diplomats and people.

8. Why Belizeans Must Pay Attention: The Southern Maritime Frontier is at Stake

a) National Security

Sapodilla anchors the southern maritime flank near the Sarstoon—an area already fraught with tension.

b) Fisheries and Economic Rights

The cayes sit in productive fishing grounds vital to Toledo fishermen and coastal communities.

c) Environmental Stewardship

Sapodilla is part of a UNESCO-recognized reef system requiring Belize’s conservation-based governance.

d) Maritime Expansion

The cayes define the:

• Territorial sea
• Exclusive Economic Zone
• Continental shelf claims

Control over Sapodilla directly shapes Belize’s maritime resources and potential offshore opportunities.

e) Political and Regional Stability

If Belize secures clear sovereignty over Sapodilla against Honduras, it strengthens Belize’s position in the larger case against Guatemala.

If the opposite happens, Belize faces a more complex legal struggle.

9. The Road Ahead: What Belize Should Expect

Over the next few days:

• ICJ will hear Belize and Honduras respond to Guatemala’s intervention request.

In the coming months:

• ICJ issues a decision on whether Guatemala can intervene.

After that:

• Full oral hearings between Belize and Honduras on the merits of sovereignty.

Then later:

• Full oral hearings in the massive Guatemala v. Belize case.

Within a few years:

Two separate, legally binding ICJ judgments will determine:

• Whether Belize or Honduras owns Sapodilla
• The full scope of Guatemala’s mainland, insular, and maritime claims

These decisions will shape Belize’s territorial future for generations.

Conclusion: A Moment of Vigilance, Unity & National Awareness

Belize now enters a period where international law, history, diplomacy, and national identity converge in the halls of the ICJ.

The Sapodilla Cayes, though small in size, represent a massive anchor of Belize’s maritime identity and southern frontier.

Yesterday’s hearing was procedural, but it revealed Guatemala’s deep strategic interest in ensuring that nothing about Sapodilla is decided without its presence.

Belizeans should watch these developments with vigilance, understanding, and unity. For the decisions that follow—both in the Sapodilla case and the Guatemala territorial claim—will shape the territorial integrity, economic future, and maritime heritage of Belize.

National Perspective Belize will continue to monitor the ICJ proceedings and provide detailed, factual analysis for the Belizean people.

For Belize, for the truth, and for the future.