Conclusion of the Public Hearings Held From 24th to 26th November 2025.

The public hearings on Guatemala’s Application for permission to intervene in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes / Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras) concluded today.

The delegation of Guatemala was led by HE Ms. Ana Cristina Rodríguez Pineda, Ambassador

of the Republic of Guatemala to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as Agent.

The delegation of Belize was led by HE Mr. Assad Shoman, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Belize responsible for sovereignty matters, as Agent.

The delegation of Honduras was led by HE Ms Patricia Licona Cubero, Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Honduras, as Agent.

At the end of the presentation of their respective arguments, the Agents of Guatemala, Belize

and Honduras made the following requests to the Court:

For Guatemala:

“For the reasons set out in its Application for permission to intervene, and during the

oral hearings, the Republic of Guatemala respectfully requests the Court to permit

it to intervene in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes / Cayos

Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras) pursuant to Article 62 of the Statute”.

For Belize:

“Belize does not object to Guatemala being permitted to intervene

in this case pursuant to Article 62 of the Court’s Statute”.

For Honduras:

“In accordance with Article 60 of the Rules of Court, and having regard to the

Application for permission to intervene filed by the Republic of Guatemala

and its oral arguments, the Republic of Honduras submits the following:

The Application filed by the Republic of Guatemala is redundant and an abuse of

the institution of intervention, and must therefore be found inadmissible in limine.

Furthermore, Guatemala has not complied with the requirements established by the

Statute and the Rules of Court, namely Article 62 and Article 81 respectively.

Honduras (1) objects to permission to intervene being granted and (2) requests

the Court to reject the Application for permission to intervene filed by Guatemala”.

The Court will now begin its deliberation.

The Court’s decision will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced

in due course.

Team Maverick