GEORGETOWN, Guyana — On Thursday, Guyana announced its intention to engage the assistance of the United Nations’ highest judicial authority in response to Venezuela’s plans to appoint a governor for the resource-rich Essequibo region. This area, long claimed by Venezuela, encompasses a significant part of Guyana’s territory and is abundant in minerals and oil reserves.
Guyana’s foreign ministry released a statement asserting that Venezuela’s actions would contravene a December 2022 agreement between the two nations, which aimed to prevent escalation of conflict over the valuable region. The ministry emphasized that the residents of Essequibo are citizens of Guyana, residing in what they consider their sovereign land. “It would constitute a blatant breach of fundamental international law principles, as established in the U.N. Charter,” the statement declared, condemning Venezuela’s potential election activities in the contested territory.
Moreover, the foreign ministry expressed plans to request provisional measures from the International Court of Justice, located in The Netherlands, to halt Venezuela’s intended actions regarding the governance of Essequibo. The ministry warned that Venezuela’s attempts to incorporate this region administratively not only risk the ongoing legal proceedings but also threaten the authority of the court as the United Nations’ main judicial body.
Historically, Venezuela has maintained that Essequibo rightfully belongs to it, citing its inclusion within Venezuelan borders during the time of Spanish colonization. The nation has also consistently disregarded the boundary set by international arbitrators in 1899, a period when Guyana was under British rule.
In pursuit of resolving the protracted dispute, Guyana approached the world court in 2018, seeking affirmation that the 1899 border determination is authoritative and enforceable. Meanwhile, Venezuela contends that a 1966 agreement aimed at resolving conflicts effectively invalidated the previous arbitration findings. This year, a ruling from the court is unlikely since Venezuela was allotted until late August to respond to Guyana’s arguments.
Venezuela’s interest in the Essequibo region has intensified noticeably since the discovery of significant oil and gas reserves off the coast of Guyana in 2015, with current production levels reaching approximately 650,000 barrels per day.
The latest flare-up in hostilities arises just weeks after Guyana raised objections to the construction of a bridge by the Venezuelan military on Ankoko Island, which lies within Guyanese territory. Guyana labeled the act as an infringement on its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.
Although tensions between the two nations diminished throughout much of the previous year, they were reignited when Guyana permitted U.S. military aircraft to conduct flyovers in the capital, Georgetown, in May, showcasing support for Guyana’s position against Venezuela’s assertions.
