Guyana gravely concerned over new law declaring Essequibo region part of Venezuela

Mar 23, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

…calls on the international community to reject Venezuela’s illegal expansionism

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana on Friday said it is “gravely concerned over the adoption of a law by the Venezuelan National Assembly declaring the Essequibo region of Guyana, which constitutes more than two thirds of its national territory, to be a constituent part of Venezuela.”

On Thursday, lawmakers in Venezuela approved the creation of a new state in Guyana’s Essequibo Region, an area that has been the subject of an age-old controversy, despite an ongoing international court case and the Argyle Declaration signed on December 14.

The move by the Venezuelan National Assembly comes three months after Venezuelans voted in a referendum to officially make the Essequibo region part of Venezuela.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move by the Venezuelan National Assembly is a “flagrant violation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is in breach of the fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter.”

“It is also an egregious violation of the Order on provisional measures issued by the international Court of Justice on December 1, 2023 and it is a violation of the Argyle Declaration of December 14, 2023 agreed to by the leaders of CARICOM and Brazil, the representative of the United Nations Secretary General and by the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that Guyana remains committed to peace on its borders and in the region.

“It will not allow its sovereignty and territorial territory to be usurped. Guyana will exert all of its efforts under international law to ensure that its sovereignty and territorial integrity remain intact,” the statement said.

Further, Guyana called on the international community to uphold the rule of law by rejecting “Venezuela’s illegal expansionism and by insisting that Venezuela revert to the International Court of Justice which has before it the case for a full and final resolution of the controversy over the land border between the two countries.”

Venezuela has been increasing its military presence on its border with Guyana.

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