Guatemalan Invasion Crisis in British Honduras 1963

The long-standing Guatemalan claims on the territory of the crown colony of British Honduras (later renamed Belize) led to renewed negotiations with Great Britain in 1961. Political representatives of the colony had no voice in these talks. George Price, leader of the People's United Party in the colony, refused an invitation from Guatemalan President Ydígoras Fuentes to make British Honduras an "associated state" of Guatemala. Price reiterated his goal of leading the colony to independence; all of the political parties, contesting the local elections of March 1961, declared their intention to seek full independence from the United Kingdom. The British-Guatemalan talks continued into 1963. The president of Guatemala was deposed in a military coup on March 31, 1963.

In response to the demands made by colony representatives, a constitutional conference was held in London in 1963. The conference resulted in the granting of full internal self-government for British Honduras under a new constitution. Guatemala responded by breaking off its talks with the UK, regarding its claims on British Honduras, and ended diplomatic relations with Britain. Guatemalan troops then massed along the border with British Honduras. Great Britain responded by deploying military forces to the colony. A military standoff ensued.

The new constitution of British Honduras took force on January 1, 1964. In 1965 Britain and Guatemala agreed to have a United States lawyer, appointed by President Lyndon Johnson, mediate the dispute. His proposals were rejected by all parties in British Honduras; Price seized the initiative by with a renewed demand for independence from Britain, with appropriate defense guarantees. The border dispute with Guatemala remained unresolved.

References

Fighting Never Stopped, 435; Latin America and the Caribbean in the International System, 331; Belize - A Country Study; List of Presidents of Guatemala.

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