Venezuela agrees to scale back aggression against Guyana

Dec 15, 2023 News

---

– Guyana insists border matter must be resolved by ICJ, Venezuela maintains position court has no jurisdiction

By Kiana Wilburg in St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Kaieteur News – The historic “peace talks” between Guyana and Venezuela on Thursday in St Vincent and the  Grenadines have resulted in a joint declaration where the Nicolas Maduro government has agreed to  scaling back its aggressive tactics to seize the mineral-rich Essequibo.

The joint statement followed hours of dialogue that started at 10 am at Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, between President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s President, Maduro.  Both leaders arrived on Thursday morning for talks which were mediated by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. Other leaders present included Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley and Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley. Senior officials from CARICOM and the United Nations were also in attendance.

During a brief press engagement, Dr. Gonsalves read the statement both leaders signed onto. Notably both leaders were not present for this part. Dr Gonsalves said all parties attending the meeting at Argyle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace. Expounding on the measures in the joint statement, the Prime Minister said Guyana and Venezuela agreed that they will not, directly or indirectly threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States.

Both nations also agreed that any controversies between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966.

They also committed to the pursuance of good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Interestingly, both nations agreed that they will continue to hold their respective positions. In this respect, Guyana maintains its commitment to the process and procedures of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the border controversy. Meanwhile, Venezuela maintains its position that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICJ in resolving the border controversy.

Furthermore, both nations agreed to continue dialogue on any other pending matters of mutual importance to the two countries. They also agreed that both States will refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. The statement said the two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground conducive to tension between them. In the event of such an incident, the two States will immediately communicate with one another, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), and the President of Brazil to contain, reverse and prevent its recurrence.

Another critical development was that both nations agreed to establish immediately, a joint commission of the Foreign Ministers and technical persons from the two States to address matters as mutually agreed. Kaieteur News understands that an update from this joint commission will be submitted to the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela within three months.

Additionally, both States agreed that Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the incumbent CARICOM Chairman, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil will remain seized of the matter as Interlocutors and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres as Observer, with the ongoing concurrence of Presidents Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro. For the avoidance of doubt, Prime Minister Gonsalves’ role will continue even after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ceases to be the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, within the framework of the CELAC Troika plus one; and Prime Minister Skerrit’s role will continue as a member of the CARICOM Bureau.

Both States also agreed to meet again in Brazil, within the next three months, or at another agreed time, to consider any matter with implications for the territory in dispute, including the above-mentioned update of the joint commission. It should be noted that the outcome of this historic face-to-face meeting occurred just hours after the Venezuelan Government set aside a large sum of money in its 2024 budget to brazenly annex the Essequibo region.

That financial support is expected to buttress the other measures Maduro had announced on December 5, 2023, all of which are aimed at taking control of the mineral rich region. It was not clarified during yesterday’s meeting if the Maduro regime would now repurpose those funds. Several stakeholders regionally and internationally believe that it is Guyana’s oil wealth that has piqued Maduro’s interest, hence he has intensified his baseless claims for the region.  Since the announcement of oil offshore Guyana on 2015, Maduro stepped up its claim for Essequibo which led to the matter being referred to the ICJ. The World Court is expected to rule once and for all on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which gave Guyana the Essequibo region.

---

• Argyle International Airport, Maduro, President, Prime Minister, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela

---