The government must be commended for how it is skillfully handling this most recent threat by Venezuela to Guyana’s territorial sovereignty.
It has been calm, sober, cool, and tactful in its verbal rebuke to the murmurs and manufactured protestations of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. This kind of response is backed by the government’s continued belief in international law, justice, diplomacy and the rule of law which are standing on Guyana’s side.

The government is also showing the world that it believes in the confidence of its case against Venezuela at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and will not yield a blade of grass of its territory. The government understands the principle when dealing with matters such as these, therefore, it is slow to speak and quick to launch a counter-response if, where, when, and how it deems appropriate and fit.

While it is understandable that the Guyanese public and all the stakeholders doing business in the area that Venezuela claims are concerned, the government knows that it cannot be hasty and act as if it is scared.
This unified stance on this issue, adopted by the government led by Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the Opposition parties led by Aubrey Norton, is a step in the right direction and sends a strong message to Venezuela as the world watches on.

The truth is that the Essequibo Region belonged to Guyana since the Tribunal Award of 1899 settled this question of territory and since Venezuela signed the said Award in 1905. So, CARICOM, the UN, world bodies, and other international agencies will stand on the side of justice, what is right, and international law.

Firstly, Maduro is desperate and clinging at straws. He, more than any other politician, knows too well that he does not have a case to pursue here. He is just playing the game of domestic politics in Venezuela but is forced to deflect from the attention, policies, food shortages, economic shortfalls, recession and political situation there.

Maduro chooses to look to Guyana and specifically the Essequibo and that could be his last chance of whipping up electoral support ahead of any planned democratic election in that country. He will milk this issue for all it’s worth while the substantive ICJ is no doubt dealing with settling the question before it again, and once and for all.
Recall, we hold firm that the Award is binding on all parties and it was settled decades ago.

So, politically Maduro’s show of strength and continued aggression towards Guyana must be seen in this context. The Guyana Government has its eyes set on monitoring all activities and developments along the border, as the President, Prime Minister and GDF Head have said.

Secondly, the opposition in Venezuela knows this too. They are not genuine in their support of Maduro’s falsehoods when it comes to Guyana. A large faction knows this but will not risk the Venezuelan public’s ire on the matter, lest they play right into Maduro’s hand.
After all, this referendum that he has planned for December 3, 2023, is seen as a pathway through which he can open the door to annex Guyana’s territory. Whichever way it goes, Guyana’s posture will be prepared to use any rational and available avenue that is realistic to counter that illegality.

Before that, Venezuela’s opposition must focus their attention on the many issues in relation to good governance, transparency and accountability of the management of that nation’s oil wealth and the humanitarian crisis still ongoing in that South American country.
It needs to grow proverbial balls and take Maduro’s government to task over failed agreements and deals that did not follow through with the promise of true democracy and democratic rule in Venezuela.

If Hugo Chavez could not get away with it, then the world does not see why Maduro should. He must not be allowed to divert to this border controversy and say that the US is using Guyana to wage war against Venezuela. It simply does not make sense. It also is uninspiring to his fictitious claim to Guyana’s territory.

Thirdly, Guyana hopefully must not just monitor the developments. The government here must immediately restart with vigor the ‘public education campaign’ on the border controversy. It must take this campaign to social media, new media and traditional media where the most influence is.

It must have an aggressive and diplomatic thrust to remind the new and upcoming members of the public that Guyana ‘is we own’, explaining in short clips and pictures the facts surrounding the border controversy.
The government and opposition cannot fail Guyana and must ensure its politics stay united and grounded when talking about Guyana’s border dispute.

Finally, if one cannot stand on the principles governing this issue, then one will surely fall for anything. There is a hive of public misinformation following from Venezuela to Guyana via the media on this matter.
Guyana must fight off any attempt, even the misinformation about Venezuelan immigrants, refugees, and insurgents allegedly strategically placed in Essequibo and all over Guyana, to poison the minds of the stakeholders that have to decide the country’s fate.
Guyana is not letting the Essequibo go, not now and not ever. The national patriotism is high but more work has to be done to get it higher.