THE government, parliamentary opposition and all representative organisations and agencies in Guyana would be fully aware that this is “election year” in our border neighbour state of Venezuela.
On October 7, the Venezuelan people will exercise their democratic right to choose whether or not to retain current Head of State President Hugo Chavez for yet another term, or elect a successor from the opposition coalition of parties.
Chavez’s challenger is Henrique Capriles Rodonski of the “Justice First” coalition forces that have been vigorously waging a fierce campaign to replace the flamboyant leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela who continues to project much optimism for re-election while coping with post-surgery cancer challenges.
As in all democracies, where elections are expected to be conducted in an environment of law and order as contesting parties and candidates compete for hearts and minds, there can be forces and elements at work that adopt partisan, and at times quite irresponsible positions. We in Guyana know this only too well and we have no doubt this is also the case for Venezuela.
In this context, the Sunday Chronicle today considers it necessary to make a special plea to those parties, groups and individuals involved in the so-called anti-Chavez alliance to do their utmost in resisting temptations to drag into the election campaign an age-old territorial dispute between our two border states.
As chronicled, the dispute had originally arisen out of a Venezuelan claim to approximately two thirds of Guyana’s demarcated and internationally recognised sovereign territory in the sprawling Essequibo region.
Our own appeal for objectivity and commonsense, is being made without prejudice to the outcome of the presidential contest, in view of recurring media reports, emanating from Caracas, that are apparently designed to let it appear as if President Chavez is somehow not militant or aggressive in expressing reservations over foreign oil corporations, among them Mobil, Exxon and Royal Dutch Shell, exploring for crude oil off Guyana’s Essequibo region.
Whatever their views of President Chavez and the administrations he has been heading to the present, his opponents should at least appreciate that there is neither anything politically wrong nor, more importantly illegal, in Guyana exercising its sovereign right to be in partnership with major foreign corporations engaged in oil exploration in the Essequibo region.
It would be equally insensitive should the parliamentary opposition in Guyana become emotionally involved in a tit-for-tat political exercise with the Venezuelan opposition over their current anxieties to get President Chavez on the offensive against foreign corporations exploring for oil in Guyana’s defined offshore territorial limits. Happily, no such inclination has been betrayed by the local parliamentary opposition.
It is important that sovereign nations manage their domestic politics in such a manner, particularly at times of national elections, to avoid endangering normally good relations with third countries, the moreso when such countries are old border neighbours and seriously committed to the rule of law.