Is the war in Gaza a preamble to what could occur in Guyana?

THE Editor, Madam:

The long-standing border controversy between the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela arose as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 about the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela is null and void.

Within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement between the two countries, the secretary-general conducted good offices from 1990 to 2017 to find a solution to their border controversy. During this time, four personal representatives of the secretary-general, with the support of DPA, worked closely with the parties towards this end.

Most recently, Venezuela reported overwhelming support from the voters in the recent elections – by referendum ­– as a move forward with reclaiming rights to the disputed Essequibo territory. Venezuela has claimed the disputed border area between Guyana and Venezuela, as well as oil-rich territories in the Caribbean, since its year of independence, 1821.

Guyana will not allow factors extraneous to the controversy to influence its referral to the court, but it will continue the advancement of peaceful relations with Venezuela, whose people are the brothers and sisters of Guyanese. In this context, Guyana acknowledges the secretary general’s suggestions for the immediate future.

Venezuelan social movements, organised under the banner of the Palestine Solidarity Platform, defended the Palestinian people’s right to resist colonialism and occupation following an offensive action that was carried out against Israel by Hamas and other armed elements of the Palestinian resistance movement.

“From the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the members of different social organisations that are joined together in the Palestine Solidarity Platform, raise our voice in support of the resistance of its brave, noble, and native people who today, as always, fight for their liberation."

Will Jamaica continue to remain silent, as they have elected to abstain from comment or vote from their seat at the United Nations? Jamaica has been the beneficiary of the leverage and resources of the Venezuelan government over the years.

PATRICK BROWN

Pembroke Pines, Florida