No country should be allowed to unilaterally redraw boundaries

Mar 29, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

The Maduro regime must be pressured by the international community to abide by the norms of international law as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Any departure from such norms and principles could lead to what the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes refer to as a state of anomie and ‘ a war of all against all’.

We have seen what violations of international law have done to societies such as Ukraine and Palestine. The failure of the international community to act promptly and decisively is partly responsible for this sad state of affairs. A situation like Ukraine where a sovereign state is invaded by another foreign power could potentially play out in this hemisphere if the international community does not speak out and condemn Venezuela for its most recent actions.

Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is under threat by its western neighbour despite the agreements reached in Argyle, brokered by regional leaders. This most recent action by Venezuela is not only a clear violation of international law but also a mockery of the peace process initiated by those leaders who are genuinely committed to the Caribbean as a zone of peace. It also raises serious questions as to the extent to which Venezuela could be trusted to respect agreements arrived at in good faith. The Caribbean Community and for that matter the entire international community of nations need to pressure Venezuela to abide by the norms of international law as enshrined by the United Nations Charter regarding respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. No country should be allowed to unilaterally redraw boundaries. This can only lead to dangerous consequences as is currently happening in Ukraine.

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