WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) – The Organization of American States (OAS) says it will conduct, at the request of the governments of Belize and Guatemala, an independent investigation of the April 20 incident that led to the death of Guatemalan child Julio René Alvarado Ruano.

Alvarado Ruano’s father and brother were also wounded in the incident.

On Wednesday, OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, after receiving formal requests from both governments, confirmed to authorities from the two countries that he will “proceed immediately with the identification and deployment of the appropriate experts to carry out the investigation as soon as possible.”

Almagro “welcomed the commitment of both countries to clarify the events rapidly and expressed gratitude for their trust in the OAS for the identification and deployment of the experts who will carry out the task,” the statement said.

The OAS Secretary General also reiterated the call for both sides to “redouble the confidence building measures in place to prevent future confrontations or situations that could put at risk the peace and stability between the two countries.”

The OAS said the incident “reinforces the need to observe the confidence-building measures in place, in order to prevent future confrontations or situations that could put at risk the peace and stability in the Adjacency Zone, as well as in the area of the Sarstoon River.”

The OAS also urged the parties to hold referenda on the decision to submit the territorial controversy to the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the Special Agreement.

“This is the only viable option to resolve the dispute in a peaceful and permanent way,” the OAS Secretariat said.