The International Court of Justice (ICJ) convened on November 25, 2025, to hear oral arguments from Belize and Honduras regarding Guatemala’s request to intervene in the ongoing sovereignty dispute over the Sapodilla Cayes, known as Cayos Zapotillos in Honduras. The hearing, presided over by Judge Iwasawa at the Peace Palace, marks a critical juncture in a conflict that began in 2022 over a cluster of islands in the southern Gulf of Honduras. Guatemala’s application to intervene, filed in December 2023, cites Article 62 of the ICJ Statute, which permits third-party involvement if a state’s legal interests may be impacted by the Court’s decision.
Belize, represented by Special Envoy Assad Shoman, expressed no objection to Guatemala’s intervention, provided it aids the Court in reaching an efficient resolution. Shoman emphasized Belize’s commitment to resolving territorial claims from both Guatemala and Honduras and urged the ICJ to coordinate hearings in the related cases of Guatemala v. Belize and Belize v. Honduras to avoid redundancy. Counsel Ben Juratowitch highlighted the distinct nature of the two cases, noting Belize’s sovereignty claims based on historical conduct since Honduras’ independence. He also contested Honduras’ recent assertion of traditional fishing rights, arguing it falls outside the Court’s jurisdiction under the Pact of Bogotá.
Honduras, however, vehemently opposed Guatemala’s intervention. Agent Patricia Licona argued that the request is unprecedented and undermines judicial principles. Professors Alejandro del Valle Gálvez and Francisco Pascual Vives criticized Guatemala’s application as a misuse of the intervention mechanism, warning it could introduce unrelated claims into the case. Professor Carlos Jiménez Piernas further asserted that Guatemala lacks a specific legal interest in the dispute.
The ICJ will reconvene to hear Guatemala’s second round of arguments, with a decision on the intervention request pending.