How did Belize seek international support for self-determination in the 1970s?

In the 1970s, Belize sought international support for its self-determination to counter persistent hostility from Guatemala, which impeded its path to independence. To advance its cause, Belize appealed directly to the United Nations and joined the Nonaligned Movement, a group of states that maintained a policy of neutralism regarding the major power blocs of the era. These diplomatic efforts were instrumental in building the international backing necessary for the country to eventually achieve independence on September 21, 1981.12