Guyana taking border dispute with Venezuela to UN Security Council

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana government says it will take the border issue with Venezuela to the United Nations on Wednesday after it described as “unsettling developments” in relation to the “unlawful claim” by Caracas to the mineral-rich Essequibo region.

In a radio and television broadcast, President Irfaan Ali said that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday night “announced several measures which his government intends to take in enforcing the outcome of the referendum held on December 3, 2023.

“As I made clear from the date the referendum was first announced, this is a direct threat to Guyana's territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence, and in violation of fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN and OAS Charters,” Ali said.

Maduro announced that foreign companies working in the disputed Guyanese county of Essequibo would have to withdraw within three months, asserting his right to do so after Venezuelan voters backed the December 3 referendum to seeking ownership of the area.

“I propose a special law to prohibit all companies that work under Guyana concessions from any transaction. They have three months to withdraw” once his proposal is approved,” Maduro added.

While Maduro hasn't yet dispatched any military forces to enforce his demands, he said he would be creating a military unit for the disputed territory but that it would be based in a neighbouring Venezuelan state.

In his broadcast, Ali said that the measures announced “are in blatant disregard of the order given by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 1,” and that “Guyana views this as an imminent threat to its territorial integrity and will intensify precautionary measures to safeguard its territory”.

Ali said he has already spoken to the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gueterres “and several leaders alerting them of these dangerous developments and the desperate actions of President Maduro that fly in the face of international law and constitute a grave threat to international peace and security”.

He said Guyana would as bring this matter to the United Nations Security Council for appropriate action to be taken by that body on Wednesday.

“Further, we have engaged CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth and many of our bilateral partners including the United States of America, Brazil, the United Kingdom and France. The Guyana Defence Force is on full alert and has engaged its military counterparts including the US Southern Command.”

Ali said that by defying the court, Venezuela has rejected international law, the rule of law generally, fundamental justice and morality, and the preservation of international peace and security.

 “Nothing they do, however, will stop Guyana from proceeding with the case in the ICJ, or stop the ICJ from ultimately issuing its final judgment on the merits of the case.

“We will not allow our territory to be violated nor the development of our country to be stymied by this desperate threat,” he added.

Political observers say the campaign to take ownership of Essequibo is part Maduro's attempt to boost his popularity ahead of next year's election.

Venezuela has claimed the huge territory for decades — even as its 160,000 square kilometres (62,000 square miles) represent more than two-thirds of Guyana, and its population of 125,000 is one-fifth Guyana's total.

Last Friday, the ICJ ruled that Venezuela must not take any action to seize the mineral and forest-rich county of Essequibo in Guyana based on its upcoming referendum.

Both Georgetown and Caracas had made presentations to the ICJ during two days of hearing last month into the case relating to the 1899 Arbitral Award after Guyana, in its request, had said that the Venezuela government, through its National Electoral Council had published a list of five questions that it intends to put before the people of Venezuela in a “Consultative Referendum” on Sunday.

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