A referendum on the territorial dispute with Guatemala will be held in Belize on 10 April 2019. The purpose of the referendum is to ask the Belizeans if they agree that Guatemala and their country request the International Court of Justice to finally resolve the Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute, as part of a commitment signed in December 2008 between the two countries. Guatemala held the referendum on 15 April 2018, and as established in the previous agreements, Belize must organize its referendum six months after Guatemala has carried out its own. Guatemalan Vice President, Jafeth Cabrera, stated that Belize would hold their referendum in response in May 2018, but Belize released a statement denying this, stating rather that they will hold the referendum after the re-registration process has occurred to ensure an accurate and fair vote.
Question
The question of the referendum is “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?”
Sources and further reading:
Expert on international dispute settlements weighs in on Belize’s referendum
Guatemalan government was neutral on referendum campaign
Guatemala’s Former Foreign Affairs Minister: Guatemala will not invade Belize