A long-running territorial dispute along Central America’s Sarstoon River is back in the headlines this week, as the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) prepare to launch their annual border expedition Thursday, moving forward despite official safety warnings from Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Sarstoon River, which forms the contested border between Belize and Guatemala, has been a flashpoint for cross-border tension for decades. Past BTV expeditions have already resulted in heated confrontations between Belizean civilian participants, Belize’s national military forces, and the Guatemalan Armed Forces, leading officials to urge citizens to avoid the area amid the ongoing unresolved border disagreement.
Wil Maheia, the founder of BTV, is pushing back against the government’s warning, arguing that officials are intentionally discouraging Belizeans from participating in the expedition. For Maheia and the BTV, the trip is far more than a recreational journey: it is a public assertion of Belizean sovereignty over the territory, timed this year to align with Belize’s independence month. He says Belizean citizens should never be made to feel intimidated or unwelcome traveling in what is legally their own country, and he has openly expressed disappointment with the government’s decision to issue the warning.
In an interview ahead of the 2026 expedition, Maheia noted that pushback from authorities has become a regular part of the BTV’s annual event, which has been held for more than 15 consecutive years. While he called this year’s official pushback unnecessary, he added that it was not an unexpected development. “Our idea is to just go down to the Sarstoon peacefully as Belizeans and this is the spirit of independence,” Maheia explained. “This is our independence month. Show Belize where our borders are. And that is all we plan to do, go down there and show Belize where our borders are and have a celebration.”
After initial tensions, Maheia says BTV organizers have held productive discussions with personnel from both the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast Guard. Organizers have shared their full, peaceful itinerary with national security officials, who have since approved the group’s plans. According to Maheia, the expedition will travel downriver to Belize’s forward operating base along the border, with the goal of educating the Belizean public that the country’s southern border begins at the Sarstoon River.
Maheia emphasized that participant safety remains the BTV’s top priority for every expedition. To avoid escalating tensions or risk of conflict, all participants are strictly prohibited from bringing weapons of any kind aboard the expedition’s boats. This long-running annual expedition continues to highlight the persistent political and diplomatic friction surrounding the unresolved Sarstoon River territorial dispute, drawing national attention to a border issue that remains unaddressed between Belize and Guatemala.