Latest update April 12th, 2026 12:50 AM
Guyana beefs up monitoring at borders
…as Venezuela planned elections in Essequibo draw near- Pres. Ali
Kaieteur News- President Irfaan Ali, on Monday assured Guyanese that the nation’s sovereignty will be preserved in the face of active attempts by Venezuela to hold elections to claim Guyana’s Essequibo region.
Venezuela said it will move ahead with its planned election on May 25, despite provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), prohibiting the Spanish-speaking nation from proceeding with any planned election for a Governor of the Essequibo. Guyana and Venezuela currently have a border controversy matter before the ICJ.
President Irfaan Ali
Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 39th Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police Annual General Meeting and Conference, President Ali noted that the border is being actively monitored in wake of the planned elections by Venezuela.
Moreover, the head-of state stressed that that government is not sitting back and waiting for Venezuela to take action. Government, together with its partners, is monitoring the situation with continuous analysis.
“I want to assure you and all Guyanese, that the Guyana Defence Force, the government, and every stakeholder, we are putting everything in place to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana are protected,” the president said.
Ali noted too that the ICJ has already issued the orders and that Guyana is being guided by those orders.
Earlier this month, the ICJ ordered that, pending a final decision in the case, Venezuela must refrain from conducting elections or preparing to conduct elections in the Essequibo region.
According to information released by President Irfaan Ali, the court reaffirmed the provisional measures of its order of December 1, 2023, which it said should be immediately and effectively implemented.
Last March, the ICJ acknowledged Guyana’s request for provisional measures in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela). The ICJ was asked to take urgent action in response to Venezuela’s plans to hold elections in the Essequibo region.
The government had sought the measures from the court after Venezuela had announced that elections were scheduled to take place on May 25, 2025 in the Essequibo region. Guyana asserted that the conduct of these elections, along with any preparatory acts, would violate its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. Furthermore, Guyana argued that such actions would breach the ICJ’s provisional order issued on December 1, 2023. Guyana had also warned that Venezuela’s electoral activities could cause irreparable harm and underscored the urgency of provisional measures.
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