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Jagdeo critical of Opposition’s “dangerous” remarks on Venezuela border controversy
Kaieteur News – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday criticized Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton and Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan over their recent comments on the Venezuela/ Guyana border controversy which he described as “dangerous” and “irresponsible.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo refuted the claims made by the two leaders who on Tuesday at a joint press conference expressed grave concerns over the uncontrolled influx of Venezuelan refugees.
Alluding to the recent threats by the Venezuelan government which criticized Guyana’s decision to hold a licensing round for offshore oil blocks while accusing the country of violating international law, Norton and Ramjattan expressed concerns about the protection of Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Norton noted, “we believe that there are several critical issues to be addressed. We remain alarmed over the continued influx into Guyana of refugees from Venezuela and the PPP government’s inept and treacherous response to the situation.”
He added that “the influx and uncontrolled integration of refugees” can also facilitate the placement of fifth columnists and operatives into key government, military, and leadership positions both at the local and national levels, and thus achieve a “soft invasion” of the country, with far-reaching implications to the country’s security, independence, and nationhood.
Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
The Opposition also expressed fear over the possibility and reality of the PPP seeking to register refugees as electors to gain voters.
On Thursday, Jagdeo said it is important for the country to maintain its diplomatic stance on the matter, given the fact that the Guyana/Venezuela’s border controversy case is still before International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The former President said it is critical for the country to keep in solidarity, and nothing should undermine it.
“This matter is before the ICJ and for Ramjattan to read a false statement from {activist} Benschop and Adam Harris and then converts into something that is before the ICJ is a very dangerous thing to do. Because by implication we are saying that there has somehow been a different position by the political parties here in Guyana,” he said.
In government and out-of-government, the PPP had a national consensus on these matters, Jagdeo said. He said the government’s position on the issue cannot be altered, noting that Venezuela’s claims to any part of Guyana’s territory “are spurious.”
As such, Jagdeo said that Guyana must continue to resist Venezuela’s advances to draw the country into dispute.
Jagdeo noted that a responsible opposition would have never engaged in such a conversation.
During his press briefing, the VP refuted claims that large numbers of Venezuelans were being registered to vote in future general and regional elections. According to him, the opposition is inventing another excuse to blame for its defeat in the next general and regional elections which are due in 2025.
“Now, the new bogeyman is the group of people who are here now, the Venezuelans who are here; that somehow they are being registered across the country in large numbers by the People’s Progressive Party and they will determine the next elections,” he said.
He provided figures to support his position, “The latest registration figures dating back to January 1, 2023 show a total of 13,679 persons – 8,698 persons in category A and 4,981 in category B were registered,” he said.
“We’ve seen no evidence about Venezuelans overrunning our registration system or anything of that sort,” Jagdeo added.
“Clearly APNU knows they are going to lose the 2025 elections. I think they know this. Internally, the discussions have taken place in their camp and they know they’re going to lose the elections,” he said.
On Tuesday, Norton expressed the fear of Venezuelans holding significant votes in Guyana and eventually holding the balance of power in the country’s general elections.
- Aubrey Norton, Bharrat Jagdeo, Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Opposition Leader, Vice President
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