The Government of Guyana plans to host a concert on May 24 in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast — just hours before Venezuela stages elections for a Governor and Legislative Council for the so-called “Guayana Esequiba.” The move has sparked outrage among political analysts and diplomats, who warn that it trivialises a growing geopolitical crisis and could inadvertently project weakness at a time when unity and strategic clarity are critical.
The Venezuelan government recently announced that eight deputies will represent Essequibo in its National Assembly — a decision in direct violation of a May 1, 2025 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which explicitly ordered Caracas to “refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute.” The ICJ ruling reinforced Guyana’s administrative control over the area while the border controversy remains under legal consideration.
In open defiance, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction, asserting that international law does not empower the Court to halt internal electoral processes. In response, however, the Guyanese government has not taken decisive diplomatic or parliamentary steps, instead announcing a cultural event positioned as a patriotic buildup to Independence Day on May 26.
“This is the wrong message at the wrong time,” said one regional analyst. “Hosting a concert while Venezuela moves to annex territory is more theatre than strategy.”
The government has defended the May 24 event as a “rallying call,” claiming it will bring together celebrated artists for “an unforgettable evening of music, culture, and patriotism.” A statement from the Department of Public Information (DPI) called the concert a symbolic expression of unity, encouraging every Guyanese to fly the national flag on May 25 — the very day Venezuela’s Essequibo elections are set to take place.
“Flag Days is more than an event; it is a movement,” DPI said. “This is our land, and this is our moment to stand tall as one people, one nation, with one destiny.”
But that narrative is not convincing to many.
A retired diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the event as “foolishness, pure foolishness,” and said the government had failed to craft a serious national response to what he called “a sustained political and territorial assault by an unrelenting aggressor.”
“The architects of this plan are dangerously out of touch,” he said. “They’re throwing concerts while the country’s sovereignty is being openly challenged.”
Opposition and civil society leaders are increasingly vocal about what they see as government inaction. Last week, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Amanza Walton-Desir, demanded the immediate activation of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations, which has remained dormant despite the growing threat from Venezuela.
The Shadow Minister warned that the issue “is not merely a legal or diplomatic matter—it is a test of our national resolve and institutional readiness.” The fact that the Foreign Relations Committee remains dormant in the face of such a clear threat is inexcusable.
The administration of President Irfaan Ali has yet to act on these calls, choosing instead to push forward with public celebrations framed as national mobilisation. “While Venezuela proceeds with its illegal elections, the Government of Guyana is ignoring calls to build a genuine united national front in response to Venezuelan aggression,” the diplomat warned.
Critics also argue that the government’s approach reduces patriotism to a performative act, one that lacks depth, credibility, and widespread public engagement. “President Ali seems to believe patriotism is a tap that can be turned on and off,” said one analyst. “But the conditions required to foster real national unity have not been cultivated. What we are likely to see is a crowd gathered for optics, not substance — a rented audience, not a national movement.”
Still, the government has called on “every citizen — in the hinterland or on the coast, in towns and villages — to fly the flag high” and demonstrate solidarity by decorating homes, schools, vehicles, and businesses on May 25.
Whether that symbolism translates into real resolve remains to be seen.
As one analyst bluntly put it: “The question now isn’t how high we fly our flags — it’s whether we understand what it will take to defend what that flag represents.”
