Recent announcement Russian warships and aircraft are this month expected to navigate towards the Caribbean, sparking concerns about deepening ties between Russia and Venezuela, attracted a nonchalant response from Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Jagdeo conveyed there is consensus among some regional partners the Russian naval activity poses no immediate threat to Guyana or its interests.
According to Jagdeo, who is general secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), “The view shared by some of our partners is that it’s not something that we should worry about, that it doesn’t represent a direct threat to Guyana or Guyana’s interest.”
Venezuela, in a recent statement rejected a communique signed by CARICOM leaders, in support of Guyana and against its misplaced aggression, stating that “the sun of Venezuela is born in the Essequibo.” Venezuela that is coveting two-third of our land.
Jagdeo has made no definitive claim on the controversy, save for statement he made that the PPP/C government had thought about giving Venezuela access to the sea through Guyana. Venezuela is not a landlocked country and like Guyana share the Atlantic Ocean. The Vice President bypassed the opportunity to participate in the Extraordinary Sitting of the National Assembly in November 2023 to discuss Venezuela’s heightened sabre rattling.
Former Prime Minister and Mayor Hamilton Green, who was sitting in the chambers expressed shock Jagdeo disappeared after about twenty minutes from Parliament and repaired to his underground bunker at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.
Jagdeo’s comment that “nevertheless, we are vigilant and we are keeping this issue firmly on our policy radar” does not bring much comfort. Many Guyanese are still in the dark on government handling of the matter. The Opposition that represents half the society and civil society are not allowed to play any meaningful role in handling the controversy internally.
Earlier this week shadow minister of foreign affair and international cooperation Amanza Walton-Desire blasted the government for the abrupt cancellation of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations. She said “the last minute cancellation is not merely an inconvenience but a significant setback for our efforts to address the pressing national security concerns posed by Venezuela’s aggressive actions regarding the Essequibo region.”
She made known “the committee was to discuss among other things, the ongoing military buildup along our border and receive updates on the legal aspects of the case before the ICJ.”
Walton-Desir warned “the continued failure to convene this important committee, undermines our ability to respond effectively to these threats against or nation’s sovereignty and territorial interiority.”
Essequibo is Guyana’s wealthiest county and Venezuela’s control of that region, in whole or part, would have dire consequences not only for our territorial integrity but also access to economic opportunities associated to exploiting our natural resources.
In December 2023, President Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro endorsed the Argyle Declaration, committing to abstain from employing or intimating the use of force in the border dispute. The agreement has attracted much criticism not only for its absence of soundness but also seen as an attempt to thwart the role of the United Nations as the sole arbiter in the dispute.
Background
After 67 years, prior to Guyana’s independence, Venezuela challenged the 1899 Arbitral Award. This led to the signing of the Geneva Agreement in 1966 by the Forbes Burnham government. Efforts over more than half-a-century to resolve the controversy, included four-year Mixed Commission (1966-1970), a twelve-year moratorium (1970-1982), a seven-year process of consultations on a means of settlement (1983-1990), and a twenty-seven-year Good Offices Process under the UN Secretary-General’s authority (1990-2017). This did not end the controversy.
The David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo government (May 2015-July 2020) made known the administration would seek resolution of the controversy through the International Court of Justice (ICJ). On 30 January 2018 United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, acting under the authority bestowed upon him by the Geneva Agreement, chose adjudication by the ICJ as the means for resolving the controversy with finality. The Secretary-General was exercising the power vested in him in the 1966 Geneva Agreement among Guyana, Venezuela and the United Kingdom to decide how the controversy should be settled. Guyana commenced proceedings before the Court on 29 March 2018.
ICJ CASE
Guyana is seeking to obtain from the Court a final and binding judgment that confirms that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the location of the land boundary between then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains valid and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela.
Guyana is currently before the ICJ on the substantive matter of the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy. Under the United Nations Charter and the Court’s own rules, final judgments from the ICJ both on jurisdiction and the merits will be legally binding on Guyana and Venezuela, whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings.
Venezuela has, so far, participated in the ICJ proceedings, despite claiming that it does not recognise the Court.
Guyana is currently before the ICJ on the substantive matter of the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy. Under the United Nations Charter and the Court’s own rules, final judgments from the ICJ both on jurisdiction and the merits will be legally binding on Guyana and Venezuela, whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings.
Guyana’s border with Venezuela was legally and internationally decided over 100 years ago by a tribunal of arbitration in 1899 in what was determined then to be a “full, perfect, and final settlement”.
