Govt. to hold series of activities to counter Venezuela’s planned referendum

Nov 19, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana will carry out a series of activities to counter Venezuela’s planned referendum on December 3, President Irfaan Ali said on Saturday.

Guyanese President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali

“On the 3^rd for example we have a series of activities, the third of December that includes sending a strong national unified message from Guyana to those participating in the referendum,” Ali told reporters during a press conference which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Center at Liliendaal, Georgetown.

The Venezuelan National Assembly in September unanimously approved a consultative referendum which paves the way for its people to decide on the country’s spurious claims over Guyana’s Essequibo region.

Venezuela had announced that the referendum process will be held on December 3, 2023 and its leaders have been campaigning over the last two months for it citizens to vote in favour of that country’s claim over the Essequibo.

Ali at Saturday’s press conference said that the referendum is a violation to Guyana’s sovereign right over its territory. He explained that the Venezuelan government is seeking the approval of its people to reject the arbitral award of 1899 which defines Guyana’s borders and that Venezuela had recognized for 60 years.

Secondly, Ali said that the referendum seeks to reject that International Court of Justice (ICJ) which has jurisdiction to rule in an ongoing matter of the territorial dispute between the two countries and also to reject the outcome of the case.

Noting that the ICJ has ruled twice that his has jurisdiction to hear and rule on the matter, Ali added that the referendum also seeks to incorporate Guyana’s Essequibo as a Venezuelan State.

Venezuelan President, Nicholas Maduro

Guyana on November 14 went before the ICJ seeking an order from the court to block the referendum. The court is yet to make its decision but even if it grants the order; the Nicholas Maduro-led government says it is keen on moving ahead with its planned referendum on December 3.

As a result, the Government of Guyana has planned a number of activities in the upcoming weeks to counter the referendum.

Apart from sending a unified message to Venezuela, Ali plans to engage the media very soon on a strategy to educate the Guyanese population on the border controversy.

“On Monday I want us to do this,” Ali said, as he explained that he wants to bring awareness and educate the nation about the territorial dispute between the countries.

As Guyana awaits an order from the ICJ, Venezuela continues to intensify it campaign towards unlawfully claiming Guyana’s territory as its own.

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border controversy, Essequibo, Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Planned Referendum, Venezuela

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