Shadow foreign secretary calls for urgent meeting to address Venezuela’s latest aggression

Jan 10, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News- Shadow Foreign Minister Amanza Walton-Desir has called for the immediate convening of the sectoral committee on foreign relations against the backdrop of Venezuela’s recent threat to elect a governor for the Essequibo, which it has falsely claimed belongs to it.

Walton-Desir, in a press statement, said that she has since written to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Hilton Todd, urging him to convene the meeting.

In her letter, Walton-Desir emphasised the critical importance of keeping the Foreign Relations Committee fully briefed on the escalating situation and the measures being taken to safeguard Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “It is deeply concerning that the Foreign Relations Committee, a crucial body responsible for addressing matters of national and international significance, has been convened so infrequently, especially during times of heightened tension,” Walton-Desir stated.

She added that the current circumstances demand that this committee functions effectively to ensure transparency, informed decision-making, and the confidence of the Guyanese people. The shadow foreign minister expressed dismay at the lack of regular engagement of the committee, despite ongoing regional and international challenges that directly impact Guyana’s foreign relations. She stressed that robust dialogue and consultation are essential for crafting a unified and effective response to threats against the nation’s sovereignty.  “The infrequency of these meetings undermines the role of the committee and risks leaving critical foreign policy decisions shrouded in opacity,” Walton-Desir added.  “It is imperative that the committee fulfils its mandate to oversee and guide Guyana’s foreign relations strategy during this critical time.” Walton-Desir reiterated her readiness to collaborate in addressing these urgent matters and awaits prompt action from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the convening of the committee.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed grave concern regarding Venezuela’s plan, which it said constitutes clear violations of the Argyle Agreement of December 14, 2023, and the binding Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued on December 1, 2023.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a statement, noted that the violation of the Argyle Agreement, signed in the presence of regional and international interlocutors, unequivocally commits Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from the territorial controversy between the two States. This includes refraining from actions that could aggravate tensions or alter the current situation in the disputed territory, pending resolution in accordance with international law.

However, the ministry said the announcement by President Nicolás Maduro on January 7, 2025, regarding the election of a “Governor of the Guayana Esequiba” by “the people of Guayana Esequiba” constitutes a direct violation of these commitments.

According to the ministry, this unilateral action disregards the spirit of the Argyle Agreement, undermines the agreed framework for dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and significantly escalates tensions between our nations. The people of Guyana’s Essequibo region are Guyanese nationals who live in Guyana’s sovereign territory.

The statement noted: “It would be a flagrant violation of the most fundamental principles of international law, enshrined in the UN Charter, for Venezuela to attempt to conduct an election in Guyanese territory involving the participation of Guyanese nationals.

Violation of the ICJ Order

The ICJ, in its Order dated December 1, 2023, “directed that Venezuela shall refrain from any actions that would modify the situation prevailing in the disputed territory, which is currently administered by Guyana. The Order also emphasized that both States must avoid actions that might aggravate or extend the dispute or make it more difficult to resolve,” the statement continued.

According to the Ministry, President Maduro’s statement, coupled with any actions to integrate the Essequibo region into Venezuela’s administrative framework, including by calling for an election “by the people of Guayana Esequiba” of a governor of “Guayana Esequiba,” represents a blatant disregard for this binding Order.

The Ministry noted that “Such actions not only jeopardize the judicial process but also undermine the authority of the ICJ as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Guyana reserves the right to ask the Court for additional provisional measures in the event that Venezuela takes any steps toward conducting its so-called “election” in Guyanese territory or involving Guyanese nationals.”

As such, Guyana urges Venezuela to immediately cease all actions that contravene the Argyle Agreement and the ICJ Order and to recommit to the principles of international law and peaceful dispute resolution to which it agreed at Argyle. Guyana remains prepared to engage in constructive dialogue under the agreed frameworks, but it cannot condone or accept unilateral actions that threaten its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

(Shadow foreign secretary calls for urgent meeting to address Venezuela’s latest aggression)

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